Being Rose Tyler
by Alliea
Summary: A Reunion Fic plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone. 10/Rose but not for a few chapters. Please R&R. 7/4/13: I've gotten myself out of the corner... We're headed to the home stretch, updates will be swift and regular.
1. Being Rose Tyler

She allowed herself fourteen days. Fourteen days to grieve a love lost, fourteen days to wallow in her misery, fourteen days to take the sharp edges of her broken heart and let the fountain of pain flow freely. During those fourteen days since Bad Wolf Bay, Rose Tyler neither ate nor left her bed on her own power. She ate only when Jackie forced her to, talked only when Mickey forced her to answer his questions and cried unendingly. At the end of the fourteenth day, Rose sighed heavily, rose from her bed and walked to her bathroom to take a shower. After her shower, she stripped the bed of the dirty linens and grabbing a fresh blanket and pillow, laid down on the couch to sleep.

Jackie, Pete and Mickey were surprised, to say the least, when Rose showed up downstairs in the kitchen for breakfast. Her hair was combed, she was dressed for going outside and she had her makeup on. Rose glanced around at all three of them, sighed, and with a fist pressed against the empty spot where her heart used to be said, "Let's get to it, yeah?"

Two years later, Rose Tyler was head of the field agents in Pete's Torchwood branch. She had worked her way up through the ranks quickly while taking her A-Levels and some college courses. To her own surprise she passed all her physics, science, history and language courses without any effort at all. It seemed her time as Bad Wolf had left a lasting impression on her IQ. Now, after all those accelerated courses Rose was a Doctor in her own right. She had a PhD in Physics and a Masters in History and English, the only big surprise was the History degree since this was a completely different world. That was something Rose thought the Doctor could have explained if he was here.

Rose didn't think of the Doctor constantly anymore, it wasn't every waking nanosecond but was down to every waking second. She wasn't afraid that she was getting over him, that'd never happen, but she was a little glad that her mind was freer for other thoughts. Especially since she needed all her concentration for the paperwork she was constantly inundated with. She sighed to herself, pressed a fist to her heart and began to read the report that Mickey had dropped off a few minutes before.

"Unusual Rift Activity near Cardiff", she read out loud.

Looking up, she focused on the only picture she had of the Doctor and herself, taken by her mother in her own universe in what seemed like a million years ago. "Why is it always Cardiff?" She continued reading the report, her eyes skimming faster and faster while her chest beat out a quicker tattoo with every line. Mickey and Jake were the ones that had investigated this new anomaly and it seemed that Mickey had drawn an impossible conclusion but a logical one. Rose picked up the phone and called the motor pool. She was out the door moments later.

Cardiff looked the same. Nothing had changed since the Cybermen and Daleks had come through the void on both sides of the universe. Steeped in memories, Rose almost failed to turn onto the proper street according to the reports. Once arriving at the park, her destination, Rose parked in the closest space, grabbed her scanner and hopped out of the vehicle. The moment she stepped into the park, Rose felt the vibrations in the air. They were so familiar it felt like coming home. "Time," she whispered to herself. She looked down at the scanner to see that Mickey was right. A Time lord had been here. She could still feel his or her TARDIS' time vortex signature. Hope surged in her breast instantaneously. Maybe her Doctor had made it through the void and had come back for her! She scanned the park quickly for a familiar blue police box but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Remembering her Doctor tell her about the chameleon circuit that TARDIS' were equipped with, Rose scanned for anything out of place with her memory. Seeing only the new memorial to the world's dead, Rose decided quickly to move in that direction. She might as well pay her respects before heading back to Torchwood.


	2. Here There be Time Lords

Rose sat on the memorial's bench and silently read the names of the dead written on the white marble column in front of her. As she reached the bottom, she got up from the bench, approached the column and knelt at the base. The column seemed to swim before her as tears welled up and began to fall. She traced the very last name on the column with trembling fingers, a name written in different script, a name invisible to all but a certain few…_The Doctor. _She had done this after coming back from Bad Wolf Bay, after her fourteen day grieving period, after rescuing and fixing an ancient Sonic Screwdriver found within the bowels of Torchwood's R & D Division. She traced the rose symbol beside it lovingly before standing and brushing the grass from the knees of her navy slacks. In concession to the Doctor, Rose had taken to wearing pinstripes more often than not, much to Jackie's dismay. Rose could still hear her weary voice exclaim "Pinstripes! I thought I saw the last of those when he sealed the rift!" Rose chuckled softly at the memory just as she had done that first morning. Today's pinstripe was light grey and the silver toned blouse lightened up the ensemble enough so that it didn't look like she was attending a funeral though her mood was consistently that of someone who was attending a funeral.

She looked to the sky above and sent a quick thought to the heavens. "Doctor, I miss you. Wish I could find a way back to you. I am trying, though. Just wanted to say I love you."

She turned around and gasped, putting her hands up in the classic 'I surrender' pose reserved for those people who had a weapon pointed directly at them.

"Who are you?" The man in front of her demanded. "By the Shadow Proclamation, I demand your name and your planet of origin!"

Rose's thoughts raced about her brain quickly. 'Shadow Proclamation? Where've I heard that before?' She searched her memory frantically before it hit her like a sledgehammer right in the pre-frontal cortex. 'I've only heard of that with the Doctor!' Belaying her shock, Rose calmly answered, "My name is Rose Tyler and my planet of origin is Earth."

The man in front of her snorted, "Do not lie to me alien! You are steeped in Huron particles and have the stench of the void all over you!" He gestured threateningly with his gun in her direction. "I will have the truth from you now!" He demanded.

Rose was getting fed up with this being in front of her. If there was one thing that she had retained from her travels with the Doctor it was that she hated having to repeat herself. "I **am **Rose Tyler and I **am** from Earth. Just not from _this _universe," she replied emphatically. She shifted her weight to the balls of her feet just in case she needed to defend herself, placed her hands on her hips and glared at this puny alien in front of her with all of the power inherited from her mother. "And, by the Shadow Proclamation, I demand to know **your** name and **your** planet of origin!"

The man in front of her seemed to accept Rose's statement but did not lower his weapon. "You can call me Adric," he sneered condescendingly, "and I am from the planet Gallifrey." Adric was unprepared for the woman's reaction and therefore was not quick enough to catch Rose as she fell to the ground in a dead faint.

When Rose came to, she found she was stretched out on the bench in front of the monument, Adric's coat was cushioning her head from the hard slats and he was crouching over her with his Sonic Screwdriver whirring madly as he ran it back and forth over her forehead. She pushed his hand away from her head angrily and sat up.

"Quit that!" She snarled, "I don't need you to take advantage of my fainting spell to scan my thoughts. And anyway, your kind is telepathic so you don't need your Sonic Screwdriver for that!"

Adric backed up, clearly startled. "I was not scanning your thoughts Rose Tyler, though I should have been, I was checking for damage done in your fall."

Rose looked at Adric, really looked, for the first time. His dark black hair, his sky blue eyes and Grecian features certainly made him look normal enough. Her first Doctor would call him a pretty boy, but Rose wasn't impressed; Adric was lacking in pinstripes and leather jackets. She grinned cheekily startling Adric even further but really enjoyed watching him pale when she asked her next question, "So Time Lord, what brings you to this lowly Planet of the Apes?"

To give him credit where it was due, Adric's look of surprise and shock quickly fled off of his face. It seemed that this Rose Tyler knew more about his race than he had figured on. Thinking that turnabout is fair play, Adric answered shortly, "You."

It was Rose's turn to look surprised, "Me?" she asked weakly, "Why me?" If she was surprised with the first answer, she was doubly so with the second.

"Because you, Rose Tyler, don't belong."

Rose grimaced. 'Adric's certainly right about that,' she thought. But he didn't know she'd gladly go home if it was, in any way, possible. She replied, "How right you are Adric. But what can you do about it?"

Adric stood up from his crouched position in front of Rose. He watched as she leaned back against the back of the bench and stretched her arms across the top on either side of her. She looked, for all the world, comfortable in her surroundings and without a care. It didn't matter to him either way, he'd been sent to deal with the disruption in the time line and he was going to do his duty. "I'm here to send you back into the void you came from."


	3. Here There Be Time Lords Part II

"**What?!**" Rose shouted as she shot off the bench like a lit firecracker. She didn't come from the void and she proceeded to inform him of such!

Her ire was so fire-hot that Adric couldn't help but be awed by this human before him. She made a gorgeous picture standing there in front of him, hands on her hips, warm brown eyes flashing golden sparks and her honey blonde hair blowing about as if in a tempest. For a few moments Adric swore that she seemed to glow golden all over. The air certainly seemed more golden around her as if the sun had descended to kiss her with more sunlight than their surroundings. If he hadn't been in such awe at the sight, he certainly would have questioned the sudden change in her biology and, subsequently, her appearance.

Rose eyed this Time Lord before her as he watched her skeptically. Sighing, she felt her anger abate slightly in the face of the scientific facts she knew that he would demand as proof to back up her claims. She ran her fingers through her shoulder length hair as she resignedly spoke. "Look, just take me to your TARDIS, hook me up to any machine you'd like in your infirmary and check that I am telling you the truth."

Adric recoiled both physically and mentally as he exclaimed emphatically, "**No!**" He pointed a finger in Rose's direction, "You are not getting into my TARDIS under any circumstances! No apes allowed!" Adric paused, a small gleam coming into his eyes as he thought of another way. "I will just scan your thoughts instead."

It was Rose's turn to recoil both physically and mentally at that last statement from Adric. There was no way that she was going to subject herself willingly to a mind rape, no matter who it was doing the raping. Her thoughts were her own, no matter which universe she was in! Backing up with her palms held in the classic fending off pose, Rose decided that retreat was the better part of valor. "I don't think so," she replied slowly. She felt her anger begin to rise again at the thought of being subjected to that particular type of invasion. "You will do nothing without my permission." She decided then and there that she was not going to back off any further, she would make her stand here and let Adric see exactly just who Rose Tyler was! "I will find your TARDIS and throw you both into Torchwood's holding cells before I will let you scan my thoughts!" She moved her hands around to her back, under her jacket and reached into the waistband of her slacks. She drew out her weapon, an Althernian blaster, and pointed it at the shocked Time Lord. "Shouldn't have dropped your weapon Adric," she stated lowly and calmly, letting this alien in front of her see the Bad Wolf in her eyes." Now, figure out another solution because I am **not** going into the void! I don't care how many regenerations I have to cause."

Adric sighed; this was not going the way it was supposed to! He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration while thinking, _'This Rose Tyler is just like Romana back home.'_ Clearly they were at an impasse. He did not want to regenerate but he had to finish his job and get her off this planet and out of the universe before it collapsed. That time line was very clear and getting closer with every passing second. The Time Lords had traced the end of the universe back to her and her alien presence in it. The time line had only showed up after the Cybermen and Dalek's time lines disappeared, cut off from the universe. His people did not question their good fortune, they just accepted it as their due for keeping time running smoothly and services rendered in recording and observing history. Clearly there was more to this situation than meets the eye and Adric began to question just what the other Time Lords were scared of. Well, other than the obvious. Adric searched through time to find this woman's time line. He needed guidance and this was the first place he thought to look. He was unprepared for Rose's time line to glow both gold and silver, something reserved for Time Lords. With no answers forthcoming in that direction, Adric turned to the next logical place for answers. He questioned his TARDIS.

_"Got any answers girl?"_

The TARDIS replied in a voice like multitudes in his mind, _"Bring her to me."_

This was accompanied by a hum that was supposed to bring a measure of reassurance to her bond mate. Instead of calming her bonded, TARDIS felt Adric become increasingly agitated.

Adric balked_. "What?!"_ he stammered in the face of his ship's implacable resolve. _"But I can't! She'd hurt you or me given the first opportunity! She cannot have access to a time ship, she's from the void!"_

The TARDIS replied calmly, _"Things are not what they seem Adric. Bring her to me! We must be sure and it's the only way. Besides, I feel a connection to a sister TARDIS in her. Bring her to me."_

Adric focused back on the woman waiting calmly before him with her weapon still drawn and pointed at his chest. "Very well," he said resignedly. "Follow me." With that said Adric turned away and walked around the monument to a small copse of shrubbery that looked totally at home until it parted right down the middle at his approach.

'Clearly,' she thought to herself,' the chameleon circuit is working perfectly on this model.' This made her longing for her other universe and her Doctor's TARDIS well up inside her and brought tears to her eyes. She watched as Adric moved to make sure that she was following him and when he saw that she was only a few steps behind him with no blaster in sight he held the door open for her to precede him into his ship and with a courtly gesture, waved her inside. Rose stepped onto the metal ramp, a familiar humming vibration seeping up through her soles, and felt instantly at peace. It was like coming home after a very long vacation.

_'Welcome aboard Rose Tyler of a sister universe,' _whispered in her mind.

Rose glanced sharply towards the console. _'Did the TARDIS just speak to me?' _she wondered. The Doctor's TARDIS never did, or at least not in words anyway. It was more impressions and changes in hums than anything else. Rose didn't know why this one would speak when she didn't have a connection to it like she had with her Doctor's TARDIS. Rose looked back at Adric who had just closed and locked the TARDIS door. _'Well, no backing out now,' _she thought to herself. "Now what?" She asked aloud at really no one in particular.

It was Adric who answered her while passing her and continuing up the ramp towards the console. "Now we scan you using my ship to see if what you say is the truth."

This answer from Adric was echoed by the TARDIS whose statement echoed eerily in her head, _'I'll scan you to prove what you say is the truth. It's the only way, other than reading you telepathically that Adric will know for sure. However, I feel that I must warn you that your thoughts might have to be scanned at some point.'_

Rose nodded her head. "Okay. Let's get to it, yeah?" She glanced around as she moved farther up the ramp towards Adric and the console. "Are you going to scan me here or in the infirmary?"

Adric looked at her rather confusedly, "Infirmary?" he questioned. "I don't have an infirmary." He scratched his head as an amused chuckle-like hum erupted from the time ship. He looked at the console, "Do I?" he asked.

_'Of course I have an infirmary,'_ echoed the multitudes in both Adric's and Rose's minds. _'You just haven't needed it yet. But once you start going on more assignments you will become more familiar with it.'_

Rose rolled her eyes. "Great! My first Time Lord encounter in this universe and it's a **baby**."


	4. Separationists and Explanations

A/N: Just wanted to thank everyone for their reviews. I try to reply to each one I receive. You all are so kind! Hope you like this installment!

________________________________________________________________________

"Hey!"

Adric's outraged yell followed Rose as she strode from the console room down the hallway and into the first open doorway on her left. Rose listened to the sounds of her footsteps echoed by the footfalls of Adric as he followed her into the infirmary. "Huh," was Adric's comment. "That wasn't here before."

Rose chuckled at his comment even though she felt a little shocked that he'd not even investigated his ship. _'Maybe I should be insulted,' _she thought. "Should I be insulted?" She asked as she turned around and sat on the exam table in the center of the room. Adric, paused just inside the doorway like a frozen image, looked at Rose quizzically.

"What?"

"Should. I. be. insulted?" Rose asked again slowly and carefully enunciating each word. "They sent you here on your first mission to send a dangerous criminal back into the void. Either you are better than the others, more experienced than you originally let on or the Powers That Be on Gallifrey did not see me as much of a threat in which case I feel insulted." Rose stated the facts calmly as the TARDIS began the scans of her body.

Adric stared, jaw open like a Big Mouth Bass. "How…" He gulped, "how…h-h—how did??" He never finished the question as the TARDIS interrupted him.

'_You'll need to take a sample of her blood for analysis. The hypo is on the table.'_

He watched as Rose gulped and looked over where the needle lay gleaming sinisterly. 'She's afraid of needles?' He thought to himself. Adric humphed. "Some hardened criminal. The Dangerous Ape is afraid of needles. Maybe I should just have used that to get you back into the void."

Rose's head whipped up so fast he swore he could hear every bone crack like a whip and glared at him. "I am not afraid of needles! They just make me uncomfortable! Can't be scared of needles when you've met the Devil or Daleks even," she asserted.

Adric stood back. "You've met the Daleks?" He whispered reverently. "And you survived?!?" He started forward, picking up the hypodermic and Rose took the opportunity to look away. "How?" He asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

"I had help," Rose mumbled softly hanging her head so that her hair would shield the tears welling in her eyes at the memory. She desperately hoped that Adric missed it but she forgot about Superior Time Lord Hearing.

"Who?" Adric asked excitedly. "Who defeated the Daleks? And how was it done? What did he use? Where did they go? Are they destroyed forever? Do you think they'll come back? What did they look li-?"

'_Adric!' _His TARDIS interrupted mid question. _'Leave it be! Look at her!'_

Adric looked at Rose to see tears running down her partially hidden face. He felt his excitement drain away like rushing water through an open floodgate. "Oh."

Looking back he would realize that it was this one word, this one two lettered word that loosed Rose's impotent rage.

"Oh?!?" She screamed loudly, "OH?!?"

If he knew her mother, Adric would have drawn the correct conclusion that Rose was exactly like her mother in a temper. He watched incredulously as she flung her arms widely and jumped from the table to the floor in front of him. "All you have to say is 'Oh'?! Where were you Time Lords when two universes needed saving from your greatest enemy?!" She paced in front of him ranting all the while and gesturing wildly.

Adric and his TARDIS thought the same thing at the same time…

'_Oops!'_

Rose spun and drilled her finger into the center of Adric's chest. "You high and mighty Time Lords! Always thinking you're better'n the rest of us! Hah! Cowards! You're just a bunch of cowards! Not a one of you left your safe li'l planet, your red grassed, silv'ry leafed treed Gallifrey to take care of your own universe!! He had to save them both, 'cuz that's what he does!! We had to save them both by ourselves because you had to hide like the yellow bellies you are!!! You just sat, safe and snug **AT HOME**! While my Doctor and I risked our lives and got separated saving your universe! We lost each other **forever** because of you!" She scream-growled and pushed him back into the TARDIS wall with that one finger while she raved at him. "It's your own fault I am here! You did this and now you've come to clean up your mess! You've got it wrong boy-o! I didn't come from the void, I helped close the rift, saved your universe and got stranded here as a thank you!" She shrieked the last at Adric before she finally calmed down enough to see that the baby Time Lord was pasty and trembling against the wall. The look on his face assured her that if he could have clawed his way through the solid wall behind him he'd have run back to Gallifrey as if the wolves of Hell were after him. _'I wonder if he soiled himself,_' she thought to herself _'Would serve him right.'_ Somehow that thought turned her white hot rage into ice cold fury. She folded her arms across her chest, glared at him coldly and said one word more before falling silent.

"Explain."

'_Boy is she scary,'_ thought Adric as his mind raced with possibilities. He calmed himself and took the time to compose himself as his TARDIS sent soothing thoughts and images to both occupants.

'_She's angry and hurt Adric,' _the TARDIS spoke, _'she's also telling the truth. It's all there in her head as she was screaming at you. She said "my Doctor" Adric. Doctor! We need to find out what happened. And I think she's due an explanation, don't you?'_

Adric nodded, "Alright, but let us go have some tea with our chat, mmmm?" He asked as he brushed past her and out into the hallway.

Rose stood there a moment longer to regain her composure. She pressed a fist to her heaving chest as if to hold in the still broken and bleeding pieces that resided there. The TARDIS hummed soothingly and brushed her mind.

'_Rose? It's going to be alright. We'll get you back to your Doctor. You'll be with him again, you'll see. You'll be reunited my sister, I promise.'_

Rose whispered back to the TARDIS as she left the infirmary and saw the dimming of the hallway as the lights were shut off behind her, "Thanks."

***

Adric turned to the cabinet to get the mugs for tea. He pulled out the first two he grabbed and set them on the table with the tea things just as Rose walked in. She moved like an automaton, woodenly, and slumped into the seat like she was too tired to keep up the pretense any longer. Adric's hearts went out to this young woman in front of him as he moved to sit across from her. She was still in pain, he could smell it on the air surrounding them. He hoped the explanation he was about to give her helped with that.

"All of Gallifrey exists to serve Time," he began as he played mother and poured out. "Each of us is loomed with the knowledge of the Laws of Time. One of those laws is to not interfere with history. We're only observers and recorders Rose. We sit on the sidelines and watch history unfold, never interfering unless something major is going on that will irrevocably damage the rest of the time lines." He held up a hand as he saw Rose open her mouth to say something, no doubt, about the last Dalek conflict. "Time Lords are able to see time lines whole. Past, present and future are there for us to view Rose. All at once. We saw the situation resolve itself without our involvement and we didn't question our good fortune. All of Gallifrey accepted it as our due for such good service to Time. The only reason that I am here now is because of an additional time line that popped up after the conflict's resolution. Your time line. It's an extra time line and it shouldn't be here. You Rose, you shouldn't be here. So I was sent to take care of the problem. I was sent to cut off the extra time line so that the universe can go on." At this, Adric paused to take a sip from his still steaming mug. He smacked his lips in appreciation earning a small smile from Rose across from him.

They sat in silence a little longer each contemplating their own thoughts as they slowly drained their mugs.

Rose, mind made up, cleared her throat before asking her next question. "So the Time War didn't happen here?" She looked up to see Adric's shock written plainly on his face. To his credit, he recovered quickly.

"Yes it did actually," Adric replied. He sighed," I suppose it happened where you came from, or else you learned it from the Daleks in the void?"

Rose looked down to the table where she was toying with her half empty mug, not really seeing it. "I traveled for awhile with the sole survivor in my original universe before we were separated fighting to save both yours and our universes. His name was the Doctor." She looked up in time to see surprise chase across Adric's face before he drew on the mask of aloofness that was so reminiscent of the Doctor when faced with unwelcome news.

"I suppose you want to know how we survived," he stated calmly while his mind raced frantically. _'She was a companion?! The Doctor's companion?!?'_ he resisted the urge, just barely, to get up and kneel at her feet in supplication. He stared in awe at the woman before him, seeing her in a new light. _'The universe was saved by The Doctor!' _He exclaimed. _'The Doctor saved us!'_ He was so giddy at the thought that he almost decided to race to the console room to set the coordinates for the war just so he could meet him. _'Maybe I could get his autograph!'_

'_Adric!' _ Scolded the TARDIS. _'Back to the present please!' _With that said, the TARDIS sent the mental equivalent of a light shock to his rear end. When she noticed him jump and his mental ouch, she sat back, satisfied that she had gotten him back on track.

He sulked as he poured more tea into his mug. He needed to buy more grumbling - thinking time. He grumbled silently at his TARDIS while he offered to Rose who nodded her head silently in response. _'It was a justifiable reaction.' _After his "mother" chore was completed, Adric picked up The Explanation – New Topic: Time War.

"Our current Lord High President saved our world by phasing it out of its past location in time by two seconds. Our war TARDISes stayed behind and fought the Daleks and drew them into a trap near their home world. Those brave men and women knew it was a suicide mission but the Lord High President inspired them. They were proud to fight with him, to die beside him. At the appointed time, our President and the war TARDISes flew into the Daleks' Eye of Harmony and blew everything to kingdom come. 95% of the Dalek fleet was destroyed including their planet Skaro. The remaining Gallifreyans were unaware that our leader had survived but he returned in his TARDIS 200 years later. As he'll tell anyone, he was not there to blow up the Eye. The President at that time, the Master, towed the current Lord High President's TARDIS out of the way of danger and disabled it so that he could not return to battle. The Master raced back and set the bomb that destroyed them. The Master and the current Lord High President were friends, you see. Grew up together and everything. They were totally inseparable."

Rose sat with tears streaming down her face, images from the Time War flashing through her mind like a really fast PowerPoint presentation. She saw the battered hero's return to the cheers of his people and he looked like her first Doctor. She wished that her Doctor could've had the same fate.

'_It's so unfair,' _ she thought. _'If anyone deserved that ending, my Doctor sure did.'_ It wasn't that she was unhappy for this Lord High President, she just wished that her Doctor had been spared all his pain and unhappiness. "So where was he for those two centuries," was her next question.

"Oh, well. The Lord High President spent that time fixing his time ship, tracking and capturing all the remaining Daleks. He returned only after sending the last remaining Dalek into the void. Said he had to make sure that we were safe and that the Time War would never happen again."

"Ah," stated Rose. "And then someone had to open the rift with technology they had not business playing with and let them loose again."

"Yup," answered Adric with a pop.


	5. Home?

Rose had a headache, which was the simplest way to put it, from the information overload she'd received from Adric and his TARDIS. Truthfully, her brain felt like it had been run over repeatedly by a MAC truck. Images of the time war in this universe played in a constant loop of horror, which made the twilight zone or any other horror show seem utterly laughable. Sure, she knew it had been bad since that haunted look had never left the Doctor's eyes. She'd even seen war's aftermath during the London Blitz, for pity's sake. She knew death and dying, had even dealt that hand herself to the Daleks, but she was not comfortable with the images now playing in her head like Chucky, Freddy Kruger and Jason let loose in a shopping mall full of prey. The images began speeding through, one after another, like race cars on the Daytona Speedway until she just couldn't cope any longer and the images, along with her cognitive skills simply switched off.

Adric watched the awareness leave her eyes as he sat across the table from her, now cold mg of tea still cupped in his hands. He knew what she'd done, unconsciously of course, she'd shut down so that she could process what he'd told her. 'It's a good thing, I'm sure,' he thought sighing as he stood. 'She'll be better for it.'

The tests should be just about ready. He knew that something more than what it seemed was going on here. The timelines kept changing all around her. Rose, to put it simply, was in an almost constant state of flux. The council was adamant that she be sent into the void, almost fanatically so, and that in itself was strange. Sure, her staying in this universe would cause its collapse. That needed to be prevented, and it could be prevented, but consigning her to the void? That could be avoided entirely. It meant defying the council, and he'd have to have a good reason for doing so or he'd face the consequences but Adric was sure, absolutely sure, that Rose wasn't a criminal. And he hadn't even looked at the test results yet. He walked down the short hallway to the infirmary and directly over to the scanner's screen. He quickly skimmed through the completed scans, 'No memory tampering, good.'

'No delirium, no sign of current possession, no sign of current psychic trauma, all good there.'

"Shows scars from past psychic trauma inflicted by alien presence approximately 2.5 years ago," Adric muttered aloud. "Hmmm, interesting. No lasting damage….good that."

'Tardis, switch to completed body scans please,' Adric thought to his new bond mate. He received a low complying hum as the screens switched for him.

'Blood oxygen level 150%? Odd…. Heart rate 98 bpm… Anxiety? None. Curious… TARDIS, is this normal human physiology?' Adric asked confusedly, he couldn't remember this information being correct.

'No Adric, it is not.' The TARDIS replied matter of factly.

'If you could please explain? Is Rose human? She looks like a human, she acts like a human and she has the brain pattern of a human…Logically she should be human.' Adric started to feel a strange tickle in the back of his mind. 'The time lines were changing again,' he mused. He was wrenched back to reality with the TARDIS' reply.

'Rose was human, she is evolving.'

"What?!" Adric shouted aloud, following up telepathically with, 'into what exactly?!' His shock reverberated through his body, down his psychic link and out into space.

The TARDIS sent him a calming touch at the same time as her mental shrug. 'I don't know.'

It was the psychic shock that did it, that permeated the fog surrounding Rose and brought her out from where she was laying blissfully unaware of anything around her. She drifted towards the feeling seeking only to locate its source because she knew it was important. She slowly became aware of her surroundings, seeing the white table, mug of tea still in hand. The mug seemed familiar somehow. She knew that if she concentrated, she'd remember but now didn't seem like the time so she let the feeling wash over her and drain away. Her awareness took in the fact that she was back on a time ship, she could feel the familiar hum and her heart leapt joyfully and painfully. 'He's found me! He came for me!' She shouted exultantly in her mind as she quickly stood from the table and began to run out of the kitchen in search of the console room. That'd be the first place she'd look, for he could normally be found there working on something, fiddling with TARDIS' controls or even just sitting in the jump seat as was his habit when he brooded.

She couldn't keep her heart from racing at the anticipation of the look on his face when he saw her again.

She imagined the smile that would creep across his mouth, the smug tilt that he'd get when he was particularly pleased with himself. He'd cross his arms across his chest and bounce up and down in his converse and ultimately he'd open his arms for her to run into. Breathing quickly, Rose ran the rest of the short hallway and to the threshold of the console room where her heart simply dropped out of her chest and into her stomach. The pain was so intense, she grabbed the nearest support strut and hung on tightly as she closed her eyes to the sight before her. She wasn't back, this wasn't the Doctor's TARDIS, he wasn't here. Rose's current situation flooded back into her mind as the broken pieces of her heart that had been pieced together for two long and lonely years, shattered again and fell with the sounds of tinkling crystal shards to the grated floor of this TARDIS, the wrong TARDIS. She slumped against the wall, tears running down her face and watched as the woman she'd become slipped away in the face of another hope lost.

'Rose,' whispered the TARDIS in her mind. 'All is not lost.'

"What's the use," Rose moaned aloud. "It's been too long anyway, he's probably replaced me. He doesn't need me anymore," she moaned, then corrected herself, "not like I need him anyway."

The TARDIS sent comfort down their link to Rose while she grasped at Adric to get his attention. 'Adric, Rose needs to go home. She needs rest and time to recover before you confront her with what you need to know.'

Adric shook his head as he replied, 'I need answers.' He stated firmly. 'Make her a room, she'll sleep here. I cannot let her out of my sight.'

The TARDIS sent a scolding hum in his direction that felt like a low level electric shock. 'You listen to me youngling! Rose needs to be with her bondeds. She has family and she needs them! I am taking her to them and you cannot stop me!'

Adric felt the TARDIS' hum change and heard the still new sound of the time rotor engaging as she dematerialized from the park. Surprise flitted through him. He didn't know she could fly herself! Adric just stood where he was until he felt her land, then he was out of the infirmary and down the hall like he was shot from a cannon. Running down the hall, focused on getting to the console room, he failed to see Rose's body slumped along the wall and he tripped over her outstretched legs. He fell face first into the grating on the floor with an "oomph!" and lay sprawled there for a few moments taking the time to gather his bruised pride, his shattered dignity and his scattered thoughts into some semblance of order. When he was done, Adric stood up, brushed his front and turned to see what had dared trip him so casually. What he saw left him speechless, a broken doll that looked like Rose Tyler was propped against the TARDIS wall like someone had flung her carelessly after playing. She was slumped over, legs sticking out into the path and she was sobbing uncontrollably.

'What happened?' Adric questioned the TARDIS.

'She came to and thought she was about to be reunited with her Doctor,' replied the TARDIS sympathetically.

'She's crying like she has nothing left,' sneered Adric.

'She thinks she doesn't,' replied the TARDIS casually. 'But don't you go saying anything to her youngling. She's not a Time Lord, she wasn't brought up with logic. Humans are emotional creatures. They feel them more deeply than your kind does. A lesson for you to remember.'

Properly chastened, Adric sighed. Now what to do with her? He could just leave her to sort herself out. He shrugged, that seemed like the best idea, he certainly had no wish to offer comfort, nor get his shirt wet. He remembered hearing how crying human females tended to cling to the ones that offered comfort to them. He turned back toward the console room to find out where the TARDIS had landed them, figuring that Rose'd cry herself out and he'd escape the touchy-feely human stuff. A win-win really. As he neared the TARDIS door, he heard voices from the other side.

"Oi! Pete?! When did you add this rose bush to the garden?"

It was clearly the voice of an older human woman, and had the same accent as Rose. 'It sounded a bit like her as well,' thought Adric. 'Well, the TARDIS did way it was taking her home.' He sighed. Looks like he'd have to get wet. God, he was not looking forward to that.

Jackie eyed the rose bush in the middle of the garden suspiciously. She'd certainly never seen it before and neither had Pete. He'd called Mickey to come and investigate the strange bush and both weren't anxious to approach it anytime soon. She felt her legs go out from under her while Pete's jaw dropped to hit the ground when the rose bush suddenly parted down the middle and the entire right side swung inward to reveal a young man holding Rose in his arms.

"Rose!" Jackie whispered and rose to her feet as she screamed at this man holding her daughter, "What have you done to her you alien git?!" She ran up to the young man and treated him to her best Doctor slap causing Adric to squeal in surprise.

"Hey!" He exclaimed loudly, "I've done nothing to her, she's just exhausted! That's it! I swear!"

Jackie grabbed for Rose, desperate to get her away from this alien, and Adric tightened his hold on the object of his mission. Neither of them paid Pete any mind which was how he managed to pass them both and look inside the TARDIS unnoticed. A brief glimpse was all it took for Pete to jump to what he thought was the obvious conclusion.

"Doctor?" he questioned.

That one word stopped Jackie in mid-tirade. She looked at this young man before her questioningly. Her mind spun with possibilities, questions and observations. Adric could see it all happening in her mind and he knew it the instant her mind connected all the dots. He actually felt himself in awe at the correctness of the conclusion she'd reached all on her own. He watched the confusion drain from her face as realization and horror began to creep in.

"No, you're not the Doctor, but you are a Time Lord."

Rose chose that moment to come back to reality. She answered her mother at the same time as Adric.

"Yes, I am," He stated calmly waiting for the storm he felt was sure in coming.

"Technically mum, the Doctor's a Time Lord too," Rose replied wearily.

Jackie waved a hand, she wasn't interested in semantics. "Whatever. Point is you'll be swanning off with this one now, I suppose." She stated more wearily than bitterly.

Rose looked at her mother sheepishly. "Well, yeah," She replied. "I have to, yeah? Gotta save the world, me." She laid her hand on her mum's shoulder as the tears began to trail down Jackie's face. "But not until tomorrow. We'll leave tomorrow, kay? Wanna sleep in my bed one last time." Rose's eyes filled with tears, a combination of being overwrought and tired and still feeling that tiny bit hopeless. She turned and began walking back toward the house while behind her, both Pete and Jackie turned accusingly toward Adric. Jackie put her hands on her hips, cocked her head to the side, glared at Adric and in her best Rose voice said one word. "Explain."

Adric gulped and did what she told him.

Rose entered her bedroom without glancing around and threw herself across her bed. She was just too wrung out to care about her clothes or anything else. Tomorrow she'd deal with the final goodbyes to her family and would let Adric save the universe. She couldn't bear being in the TARDIS without her Doctor, it was just too painful! Let him drop her into the void. 'Didn't matter anyway,' she thought petulantly. Rose imagined the Doctor, swanning around the galaxy with her replacement. He was with a redhead. A spunky, feisty redhead named…Donna. They were having one grand adventure after another, him and her, and the visions of those adventures played quickly through Rose's mind. The Doctor was acting as if he didn't have a care in the world. Rose watched as Donna hugged her Doctor and headed out towards the bedrooms while the Doctor turned to sit in the jump seat. Rose wished she could touch him. Just reach over and touch his hand. She thought that was the one thing she missed the most, so she approached him from her vantage point, watching him as he laid his head back against the back and closed his eyes. His hands lay draped across the arm rests and she moved her hand over his. She shed tears as she felt the slide of skin, so much cooler than her body temperature and she watched his fingers twitch in response to the stimulus. She smiled, suddenly feeling peace steal through her at this long forsaken contact.

"I wish I could hold you," she whispered to the image in front of her. She was shocked when she was answered.

"Oh Rose, I wish you could hold me too," the Doctor whispered back to her longingly.

"Doctor?" Rose whispered as her heart began to beat erratically. Hope began to blossom, a small, miniscule atom, dividing in the deepest recesses of her soul. She watched the Doctor's eyes open and his head lift from where it lay to stare directly in front of him where she was standing.

"Rose?" He questioned incredulously. "Is that really you?" He began to smile even as confusion and computations shown in his eyes. "How?"

Rose shrugged. "I don't know, one minute I was lying on my bed in the alternate universe, the next I was here." She watched the confusion in the Doctor's eyes increase even more.

"Hmmm… Interesting. It's possible that either one of us is a figment of an overstressed imagination. I mean, I could be daydreaming, or you could be night dreaming. Was it night there? If not, you could be daydreaming and I could be night dreaming. Or one of us is crazy and seeing something that is not there. Or it could be astral projection, though I've never heard of it crossing universes before. Maybe it was the banana daiquiri I had with dinner, tasted a little off. Donna usually buys better rum than that, though to be fair." Rose silenced him by kissing him senseless. When both of them decided they rather needed to breathe, Rose and the doctor backed off panting.

At the same time, they both said, "Oh, sod it! Who cares?"

The Doctor squeezed over to give Rose room to sit on the seat beside him, neither one wanting to let go of the other. They glanced over to see the other one with bliss written across their faces and smiles ten miles wide.

"Oh Rose, I've missed you!" The doctor exclaimed. "You'll never know how much, or how happy I am to see you!"

Rose sniffled, "I've missed you too Doctor. These past few years have been busy, but total hell without you. I saw your companion leave the control room, I'm glad you weren't alone." Despite her words, Rose was dismayed to hear the accusation and jealousy creep into her tone. She hung her head embarrassedly, hoping that the Doctor wouldn't catch her white lie.

"Rose," he said softly. She felt his finger under her chin lifting her head. "Look at me…please?" She raised her eyes to his. No such luck, he'd definitely heard. "You can never be replaced. Never, ever. One in a million, you. You're my plus one."

Rose smiled. 'His plus one,' she thought. 'I'll always be his plus one.' She reached out to capture his other hand and began to panic at the lack of feeling. She looked down and realized she could no longer see her body. Raising panicked eyes to his, she screamed, "No! I don't wanna leave you!" She began to cry in earnest as the Doctor and the control room began to fade. She screamed desperately, "I love you Doctor! My Doctor, I love you!" and heard him reply faintly "I love you my Rose! Never forget, I love you!" as darkness returned.

The last thing Rose heard before complete darkness overtook her was the voice of her Doctor's TARDIS telling her to hope and trust and that they'd be reunited soon.

Jackie and Pete had tears running down their faces as Adric finished explaining his mission. Not a one of them had moved from the rose garden and the TARDIS door was still open. All three turned toward said TARDIS when a beeping noise began to emanate from the console. Adric raced to the screen and read the incoming message. His face paled and he grasped the TARDIS for support as his legs went weak. He looked up to see Jackie clinging to Pete in the doorway.

"Change of plans, I'm afraid. Rose and I will need to leave immediately."

Jackie gasped, "Not yet! It's too soon! You have to stop this, she's no criminal!"

Pete also began to protest, but was stalled when Adric raised his hand for silence.

"I'm not dropping her into the void. We've been summoned. Both of us. We have to go back."

Jackie's confusion showed on her face, "you've been summoned? By who? Summoned where?"

Adric looked up from the console, shock and dread written across his face.

"The council wants us back on Gallifrey immediately. We have to leave now."


	6. We're Off to See the Council

Rose awoke quickly to the sound of her wardrobe doors slamming closed and violent sniffling. Confused, she looked over to see her mum packing her clothes in a gigantic suitcase.

"Mum?" Rose questioned. "Whatcha doing?"

Jackie turned toward the bed wiping at tears running down her cheeks, "what's it look like I'm doin'? Yer leavin' and I'm packin' for ya so you can rest. You'll need it for where you're goin'." Jackie whirled back around and resumed packing. "Now, you don't have long, so get yerself into that shower and get cleaned up. Gotta hurry, so I'll finish up here."

Rose shot her mum another confused glance as she passed by her on the way to her bath. 'Something must've happened while I was sleeping,' she thought.

"Mum, did you talk to Adric?" She questioned as she shut the bath door behind her. She raised her voice to be heard through the obstruction. "Nothing to worry about, yeah? I'll be alright, no matter what. At least you, dad, Tony & Mick'll be safe. Gotta think about family, right? Needs of the many and all that. 'Sides, I'll just be that much closer to him. You know how I feel about that."

Rose listened intently but heard no response from the bedroom. She peaked out the bath and saw her open bedroom door. Sighing she closed it and turned on the shower. The dream came back to her with crystal clarity while she was washing her hair. Confusion wrote itself on her brow, what exactly had happened there? Was it a dream, like he'd said, or was it more? Rose knew she'd never had a dream that real before but could not figure a reasonable explanation. She resolved to let the answer come when it came since she had no other explanation and began to rinse the soap from her hair. No denying it, she felt hope again. She smiled as she dried off and wrapping the towel around herself, she walked into her bedroom only to come face to face with Adric. She only had time to think 'Oh my god' before she registered the shock and embarrassment that she was sure was echoed on her face as Adric turned tomato red, clapped his hand over his eyes and turned to flee, only to run himself into the wall beside the door squeaking and stammering apologies the entire time. If Rose hadn't been so embarrassed, she'd have been rolling on the floor laughing as tears streamed down her face.

'Oh, if only I had a camera,' she thought a little while later, after she'd dressed as she walked down the stairs to the kitchen. She was sure that everyone had gathered there. 'Mum always makes tea in a crisis. She'd probably invite the Cybermen to tea as well if they were to ever show up again.' She smiled at the thought of her mum forcing strong sweet tea into the Cybermen as their gears and insides rusted. 'Will have to try that next time.'

Rose walked into the kitchen to see that she was right, her entire family plus Adric were seated at the table. She observed that Adric and Mickey were glaring daggers at each other while the rest of the entire room was as silent as death. Pete was hugging Jackie, who had been crying and young Tony was also sitting solemnly in his high chair. Rose took it all in an instant. She walked in on an argument about her, obviously.

Trying to break the tension, she cleared her throat, looked around at all the solemn faces and asked, "Who died?"

This, unfortunately, didn't have the hoped for result. Jackie burst into fresh tears as Mickey and Pete both growled in her direction. Only Tony seemed unfazed, Rose glanced at Adric catching the look of sheer panic before he covered it over quickly with what Rose had come to recognize as the "I'm the superior being" face. Sighing, Rose moved to the cupboard and grabbed a mug. If she was going to leave, she'd have one last tea with her family, Time Lord or no Time Lord. She turned back to the table and grabbed the pot sitting there. She watched as Adric's mouth opened to say something and then shut again as he made the wise change of mind. Raising a brow, Rose silently dared him to say something. Anything. When he still refused to say the words that were obviously on the tip of his tongue, she nodded curtly at him. 'He learned quicker than the Doctor,' Rose thought. The Doctor was never smart enough to let Rose have her first cup in silence, especially when he was in a hurry. After she'd finished her cuppa unmolested, Rose paused in the pouring of her second to ask, "Okay, what's happened now?"

Adric cleared his throat nervously, "Rose, the TARDIS received a transmission and you and I have to leave right after you've finished that cup." He shot her an accusing look, "We really should have left a couple of hours ago. No time to dilly-dally, but out of respect for your silly human tendencies, I waited."

Jackie glared at this last statement, Pete rose as if to begin the abandoned argument anew and Mickey glanced toward Rose to see what she'd do about what was said. Rose surprised everyone by laughing aloud. It was Adric's turn to glare. "What's so funny then?" he asked hotly. "All you're doing is wasting precious minutes by carrying on like that." He crossed his arms and tried to look intimidating, only causing Rose and now Mickey to begin laughing even harder. Jackie and Pete both looked puzzled for a few moments longer until the reason for the laughter became clear to them too. Adric huffed at all these silly apes laughing at him. He still couldn't see what was so funny, obviously it was something inane, but it vexed him anyway. Unknown to him, his confusion and frustration showed clearly on his face causing even more laughter from the humans. He was on the verge of demanding answers when he felt a nudge from the TARDIS.

'Adric, calm down. You're only making the situation worse.'

'But she's laughing at me!' He whined. 'She's acting like this isn't important, like she doesn't know what's going on! I knew humans were less than intelligent as a species, but this is beyond the pale!'

The TARDIS sighed, 'Adric, think logically. It is entirely possible that Jackie did not inform Rose what was going on, leaving it to you to explain it. And you sure didn't explain anything in your hasty exit from her bedroom earlier,' the TARDIS chuckled at the picture of Adric running into the wall. 'Just ask what is so funny again. Perhaps they'll tell you this time.'

Adric huffed again. He really didn't like being laughed at. At the Academy, he was the butt of many jokes because he took his studies seriously, perhaps too seriously, he admitted. However, those were his peers, not some lower life forms. He sighed, they were still laughing at him which, for some reason, seemed to make him feel kind of sad. Was he pouting? He puzzled through his emotions logically. Yes, he was pouting. Strange… Time Lords were taught to keep emotions at bay. They were seen as a weakness, and now Adric certainly saw why. 'No matter,' he decided. 'It seems there's no other way around it, I'll just have to ask again. If only to move them all along.' He gave a louder sigh this time and asked once more in a very put-upon tone, "Ok, what is so funny?"

All four adult humans looked at the one Time Lord and snickered before answering in unison, "Time machine!" before bursting into renewed peals of laughter at the continued confusion on Adric's face. Every one of them thought along the same lines, if the Doctor was here, he'd have understood the joke and even would have laughed along with them.

"I do not understand," he replied. "What does 'time machine' have to do with us being late for the High Council meeting on Gallifrey?" He asked, clearly trying to understand the joke.

Rose sobered instantly at those words, and the rest of the family followed suit. Everyone watched as Rose paled, "Gallifrey?" She whispered, then asked louder, "You and I are going to Gallifrey?"

Adric watched her and hoped she wouldn't faint. He had no time for fainting females of any species. He nodded carefully in confirmation while he answered verbally, every muscle tensed to catch her if she fainted. "We've been summoned to appear before the High Council."

Rose drained her tea and slid her chair away from the table. "Right then," she stated, instantly all business to Adric's relief. "Mum, dad, Mickey, we need to go." She paused as tears filled her eyes. "Wish I had more time to do this proper, but it'll have to be quick. Don't know if I'll be able to come back, so we'll have to say goodbyes here and now."

She reached over and grabbed Mickey and whispered in his ear as he clung to her almost desperately. She gently detached his arms from around hers and went next to Pete, grabbing him into a hug as he whispered into her ear and passed something into her pocket. When she moved to find out what was inside, Pete just shook his head and gently shoved her into the waiting arms of her mum. Rose gasped as Jackie gripped her tightly, choking on the tears now streaming down her face, Rose whispered "Goodbye mum," and her heart twisted into painful knots as Jackie sobbed harder.

"Bye Rose," her mum whispered. "You take care, ya hear? Don't let the aliens drop you anywhere else but home. You have a fantastic life, just like the Doctor wanted and tell him I said to keep you safe and happy or you can slap him for me, alright?"

Jackie's faith in her caused Rose to break into silent tears. She wished she had as much faith in her own abilities. She started to panic at the thought of leaving the relative safety of this planet. Once she stepped away, she'd no longer have the home field advantage. She wouldn't be able to hide or defend herself, she'd be totally dependent on this unknown Time Lord. She felt a calming peace steal over her, beginning from the back of her mind. She could almost feel the scratchiness of wool and taste the familiar brown that accompanied the feeling. 'You've done that before,' a voice whispered. 'You survived many different adventures and did many great things. You're strong enough to do it again.'

Rose thought to herself, 'Yes, I am strong enough to do it again. And I will, but only if I don't have a way back to my Doctor.'

She turned her attention back to Jackie and answered her mum calmly, tears drying on her cheeks, "Yes mum. And we'll find a way through to come and visit as well. I promise. Tell Tony lots of stories about me, so he'll know me when he sees us, 'kay?"

The two Tyler women nodded at each other once in total agreement as they backed away from each other. Jackie backed into Pete's arms which wrapped around her in comfort as Rose backed into her place beside Adric. She exhaled loudly and forcefully, before turning to Adric.

"Alright then, _Allonsy_." And she opened the door to the back garden and left. She didn't look back and so didn't hear Adric's last words to her family.

"I'll protect her. I'll get her where she needs to be, do not worry."

When Adric reached his ship, Rose had already disappeared into the TARDIS. When he asked for her whereabouts, he received a reply that she was in her room getting ready for the meeting with the Council. Adric nodded. 'No sense in interrupting her,' he thought, 'it'd only take a couple of hours anyway.' He let the ship dematerialize on her own as he sat on the Captain's chair and waited nervously. Some time later, a thought occurred to him, 'TARDIS?' he asked. 'Did you send the test results to Gallifrey without telling me?'

The time ship replied in the negative, causing Adric to wonder aloud. "Well why have we been summoned then?" Receiving a mental shrug from the TARDIS caused Adric to grow even more nervous. He began searching the timelines but saw nothing that jumped out at him. 'Obviously something else has happened to cause them distress. Nothing to do now but sit back and wait.'

The TARDIS parked/landed in the Panopticon. Right in front of the doors to the Council Chambers. Rose Tyler was dressed in her best suit, a dark brown linen with peach pinstripe, a peach shell and brown dress boots. Not easy to run in, but Rose had decided to wear them anyway because they wouldn't be that far from the TARDIS if she had to run. Adric met Rose at the door in a blood red robe. He took one look at Rose and shook his head negatively. "Rose," he said, "we're going before the High Council. You must wear a ceremonial robe. No human has ever gone before the entire Council before. Please, go change. The TARDIS will have the proper garments in your room." Rose turned back to go to her room. She had just reached the threshold to the hallway when Adric added, "Please hurry."

Rose could have protested, and in fact, it was on the tip of her tongue to do so but she saw the panic in his eyes and relented. She went back to her room and saw there on the bed a robe of the same deep blood red with a golden collar lying next to it. The collar was kind of like the ones that Egyptian Pharos wore, a solid necklace that draped across the chest, shoulders and back. This collar was four inches wide and had every color of the rainbow scrolled across it in swirling patterns. Rose shed her jacket and slipped the robe over her shell and trousers. She shed her boots for the ruby slippers and placed the collar around her neck. Checking herself in the mirror, she noted that she really looked pretty good, even if she was headed to her doom. She spared a moment for a grimace toward her reflection and she headed out the door.

In her absence, Adric had donned his collar, also 4 inches wide, but plain gold with red swirls and a deep red skull cap. She looked at him questioningly, but he was too preoccupied to nice and he ushered her out the TARDIS door and into the hallway. The TARDIS gave both of them a reassuring hum as if wishing them luck as the door slipped past their fingers. Adric turned and looked at Rose, his hand paused on the black wooden door of the Council chambers. "Rose, please remember. You are just a human," he grimaced at her sneer but continued on, "Keep your mouth shut and don't say anything unless you are asked a direct question. I don't know what this is about, but I am sure we'll shortly find out. Remember this as well Rose, the Council is the body of Time Lords that is like your Earthen Judicial system. They can sentence you to death just as easy, if not easier, than your planet's system. Treat them with respect at all times," he pleaded.

Rose rolled her eyes, "Adric, you worry too much. I'll do what is necessary to keep myself and you alive, but I'll be damned if I'll bow to some silly rule." She pushed past him and opened the chamber doors.

The large round Council chamber was done in the same ebony wood with deep red marble floors. Along both sides of the room were lattice work walls and at the front of the room, a single throne of deep burnished gold. It looked like wood, but from the distance Rose couldn't tell for sure. She heard the sounds of opening doors behind the lattice work and listened as bodies began to fill the seats behind the walls. 'Great,' she thought. 'Secret Council meetings. This is going to be harder than I thought.' She made to step farther step father away from the door, having only walked in a few feet, but was stopped by some invisible force field.

Adric stepped up beside her, clearly not surprised that they could not move father into the room, but also not as worried as before. She felt a calming presence in the back of her mind, was that the TARDIS? She didn't have time to puzzle it out for the door behind the throne opened and Adric gasped beside her. A figure walked around the back of the throne, also dressed in red robes, but the collar was a good 20 inches wide and swirled with gold and silver. This person also had a skull cap on, in red like Adric's, but with a gold and silver fan running across the top of it from ear to ear. Rose was too far away to see if this newcomer was male or female, but she knew this person was very important just from the dress. The Doctor had made sure that she was able to tell the relative importance of any species by how they dressed. Next to her, Adric stiffened and gasped. Now he was nervous. 'Great, just what I need on my side, a nervous Time Lord. Looks like it's all up to me,' she thought as she waited. The figure in Red turned in front of the throne and stood waiting patiently. Rose'd been so focused on the figure that she failed to notice the two figures that flanked the person in front of the throne. They were both robed in black with hoods covering their heads, shielding their faces. The one on the right stood two steps higher than the one on the left, but Rose figured just from their positions that these had to be the trusted advisors. The lower figure on the dais stepped one and a half steps forward and called out in a low clear voice.

"Rose Tyler will step to the circle."

The voice rang like bells through the chamber and the invisible force field dropped immediately. Rose walked looked at the floor in front of her and saw some distance away, a silver circle set into the dark red marble. She walked the forty steps into the room and stopped in the center of the circle as Adric waited by the door. She really was on her own. Great, now _she_ was nervous. She stilled as she squared her shoulders and shored up her resolve. She was not the first human ever to see Gallifrey, she knew that much from her Doctor but she was, according to Adric, the first human inside the Council chambers. Time to make an impression. She smiled, 'this could be fun!' She imagined what her Doctor would do in this situation and her smile grew. He'd be bouncing on his toes, no slippers on his feet, but red chucks instead. He'd probably begin babbling the moment they let him, that wouldn't make a good impression here. She felt the beginnings of hysteria creep into her mind as she waited for what seemed like forever until she felt a hand slip into hers. It felt cool and very familiar. She glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw nothing there but peace began to creep into the back of her mind again fighting the hysteria and winning. Rose automatically knew that she was summoned by the High Council behind the lattice work. The Lord High President was in front of her, the figure in red, and looked female. The higher of the two figures was the Chancellor while the lower one was an advisor. 'This is a full trial then,' she thought.

A voice whispered in her ear, "Don't worry Rose, I'm right here with you even if no one can see me." Rose calmed immediately, she was not alone. "You are never alone," whispered the voice.

She faced forward, all attention on the Lord High President. Rose felt confidence flow through her, she could do this.

The Lord High President turned in front of the golden throne to face Rose. "Rose Tyler of Earth," her voice rang out around the chamber. "You have been called here to give testimony in regards to your situation. You will submit to testing to verify your testimony and the Council here will decide your fate. Do you understand?"

The voice in her head whispered, 'answer with her title Rose' and Rose took its advice. She replied calmly and clearly, "Yes, I understand Lord High President."

The woman nodded, "Very well. First, Rose Tyler, you will be told the reason you are here. You are not from this universe and your timeline has disrupted the order that this universe depends on for survival. Your timeline must be removed from this universe or else it will be destroyed. We have foreseen this. That is the reason you are here and not back on Earth unaware of our presence. The Council is willing to send you back to where you came from, but only if you can prove your innocence."

Rose nodded silently. Seeing this, the President spoke again. "Those in this Council Chamber are hereby sworn to silence. Nothing that goes on within these walls will not pass outside of it. The Council's decision is binding and final. To go against this decision is to forfeit a life, are we all agreed?"

The President paused again as Rose nodded silently again, prompted by the voice in her head. In the back of her mind, she heard the buzz of assent that she assumed came from the other Council members. Once the buzz quieted, the advisor turned to the President and, at her nod, descended the steps to stand facing Rose. She watched as fingers appeared out of the sleeves of the robe and began to approach her face. The fingers rested lightly on her temples before the President spoke again.

"Rose Tyler, you have agreed to submit to testing. This will take place immediately. My advisor will project himself into your mind, since you are not telepathic and will then project those thoughts to the rest of the Council. During this time, you will not speak or move. If you do either, your life is forfeit. Do you understand?"

Rose gulped and following the voice in her head, did not nod, but whispered 'yes' in her mind which was picked up and broadcasted to the Lord High President and the rest of the Council. The President nodded once.

"Very well. Proceed."

What happened next, Rose always described as what she thought would happen right before you died. Her life flashed before her eyes. She saw her birth, the loss of her father, her Christmas with the surprise red bicycle, her mistake with Jimmy, her relationship with Mickey, all of it flashed before her eyes in what felt like seconds. She knew they were skimming over the surface, merely to verify that she wasn't a criminal, but having to relive those memories was tough on her as well. She knew that more painful ones were on their way and the ghostly fingers tightened on hers in silent support. She gasped at the first memory of her Doctor, and heard the collective gasps of the Council at seeing his face. The images went faster after that until the game station, where they watched the entire process. She watched herself open the heart of the TARDIS and absorb the vortex, she watched herself sing to the Dalek fleet and destroy them, she watched herself raise Jack from the dead and make him almost immortal, she watched herself burn for her Doctor and her Doctor burn for her. Silent tears rolled down her face as she remembered for the first time in three years what she'd done. The memories sped up until they were a blur of light and then stopped. Rose was still silently sobbing, she was guilty, and she deserved to go into the void. She'd killed, she'd murdered, she'd broken the law and interfered and it cost her first Doctor his life. At that point, she wished immediately to go back and make it right for him, to save him and not cause his death, as was her intention all along. The fingers removed themselves from her temples and the advisor stepped back reverently. Rose dropped her head in shame, she deserved everything they were going to do with her and would not fight it. So wrapped up in her thoughts, Rose failed to hear the agitated buzz of the Council in her mind until the President decided she'd had enough.

"Silence!" She commanded. Once the murmurs wore down, the President continued, "It is late. We will adjourn for the evening and will reconvene in the morning after I have consulted the Seers. It is obvious that this case is more complicated than we thought." She looked up at Adric still standing in the back of the room. "Adric, you have run medical scans have them transmitted to the Council members immediately. We will review them overnight so that we are better prepared to make our ruling in the morning. Rose Tyler will accompany me to the seers and my chambers. You are dismissed."

She waited as the sounds of the Council leaving rebounded through the chamber, watched as the two advisors turned and walked behind the throne and heard the last door close. Rose still hadn't moved from the circle, whether out of respect or fear from the proceedings she wasn't sure. Being telepathic was not helping here as it normally would. Romana had the feeling that if Rose hadn't consented to the testing, they'd never have gotten inside her mind. She was more than shielded, she was under total lockdown. Bringing herself back to the present, Romana beckoned Rose to come forward. She watched as this young woman slowly crossed the rest of the room and climbed the steps separating them to stand beside her. Turning to her left, Romana skirted around the throne and through the door behind it assured by the footsteps behind her that Rose was following.

Rose waited, like the voice told her to, as the room emptied. She watched the President, looking for any clue as to the woman's thoughts. The face gave nothing away, she was completely serene. Rose knew that something in her memories shocked everyone there today. All of the High Council, including the President were reeling from the information, but Rose had no clue how to use that shock to her advantage, let alone what that shocking bit of information was to begin with. And now, she was going to meet the seers. 'What are they? Oracles? Soothsayers?' The little voice in the back of her mind chuckled.

'No,' it replied. 'They are not fortune tellers, they are the watchers of time. They are the ones who send us to fix problems in timelines. They are the ones who brought you here.'

Rose nodded her head, 'Ok.' She felt the voice recede to the darker corners of her mind as she watched the President glance back her direction. 'I feel like Alice in Wonderland.'

Deciding she couldn't do anything at the moment, Rose changed her focus into noticing her surroundings. In contrast to the Council chambers, this back hallway was white. The floors, walls and ceilings seemed to be made of something akin to white marble, but were threaded through with some silver sparkly material. She reached out a hand to touch the wall as they turned the right corner. The rock felt cool but the sparkly veins were warm and throbbed as if with life. She imagined she could feel a pulse, like blood pumping through them. She snatched her hand back at the thought as though it were on fire. The throb continued to echo through her fingertips and a bright golden light came on in the back of her mind. She looked up to see the President pause before her, in front of another ebony door. This one was covered in elaborate carvings, showing a spider web of time and different images along with the strange circling infinity symbol that Rose had come to associate with the Doctor. Apparently they had reached their destination.

The President opened the door and gestured her forward. Taking a deep breath, Rose steeled herself once again and walked through the door with the President behind her.


	7. The Seer

The chamber Rose and the President walked into was dark. The marble flooring, unlike both the hallway and the council chambers was forest green with silver veins. The walls were silvery grey wood and were carved beautifully. There were carvings of trees, flowers and animals; all interspersed with the symbols on the door. A door was a short way across the room, currently closed and curiously devoid of carvings or symbols of any sort. It was in this direction that Rose saw the President focus her attention. The President didn't acknowledge her, didn't even as much as glance in her direction. The single mindedness of this woman's attention captivated Rose. She forgot about everything outside of this woman; she didn't wonder about the future, did not worry about the present nor long for the past. She stood hungrily soaking in the woman's presence, almost as if they had become one in their single mindedness, the Time Lady and the human did nothing more than wait.

After what seemed only seconds, the door the President was focused on opened and a man in dark green robes appeared. If Rose had to guess at his age, using human age as a comparison, she would have said he was close to 100 years old. Knowing the Doctor as she did, and knowing his age, Rose knew this man was way older than the 900 odd years the Doctor laid claim to. Rose was instantly overwhelmed with respect for this man, not because of his age but because of the aura that radiated off of him. Butterflies began in her stomach and her palms began to sweat as she watched as the man directed his gaze to the President and nodding once with both acknowledgement and respect, passed over her and on next to Rose. She was taken aback at the youthful vigor and amusement shining like beacons from his eyes. They were the clear blue of an Earth sky and filled to the brim with love of life and fun. Rose's nervousness vanished in an instant like smoke in the wind. She watched incredulously as the President was ignored in favor of her as the old seer beckoned her forward. The Lord High President didn't seem as surprised as she was, however she quailed for a moment under the gazes of both before she shrugged mentally, who was she to disagree with the old seer? Apparently she was supposed to go in first. Truth be told, Rose was curious. She wanted to know why she was called here, why she was put on trial and why everyone was so shocked about her memories. She didn't know if she would get the answers she sought within this chamber, but it seemed this was the only way she'd find out.

She moved forward through the door and into a second chamber. It was all green marble; floors, walls and ceilings, all shot through with the same silvery veins that pulsed as if with life. In the center of the room was a sunken sitting area where a silver pedestal with a bowl on top rested in the middle. The bowl was full of what looked like water and two goblets made of silver sat on either side. The seer gestured Rose towards the sitting area and as she approached, she paused and offered her hand to help steady his descent down the steps along with her. This seemed to please the man, for he smiled but didn't speak. Reaching the floor, he helped Rose to sit on one side while he continued around the pedestal and sat directly across from her. She made to speak, but the old seer put his finger to his lips and shook his head slightly in a negative motion. Rose took this to mean for her to keep quiet and nodded her head as she settled back to wait. She didn't have to wait long before a young man, more like someone her age appeared in the room from the same door they had entered through earlier. In his hand was a golden ewer which he used to fill the goblets. The old seer picked up the goblet on his right and motioned for Rose to do the same. He raised the goblet in silent salute and tipped it to his lips watching, approvingly, as Rose followed suit.

The liquid inside the goblets was a lesson in contradiction. It was, at the same time, sweet and sour; utterly and completely wrong, but also utterly and completely right. Like chocolate and cheese or meat and ice cream. Completely foreign to Rose's palette. She late the taste flow over her tongue and down her throat where it warmed her belly with a very pleasant tingle. She looked over at the bowl to the seer beyond it as the tingle swept through her body and entered her mind. It felt like she'd been sitting in front of a camp fire; she was warm all over, almost uncomfortably so, but she wasn't ready to move yet. She began to get nervous as, looking at the seer; she realized that he seemed to be waiting for something. Dread began to spike as her brain ran through several poison scenarios before a strange calm overcame her and drowned out the clamoring voices telling her to run. Puzzled, she made to speak again, to ask what was going on when she felt a louder buzz begin in the back of her mind again. She focused on that buzz, remembering it from the council chambers and was rewarded with a kindly warm voice flooding her brain.

"Welcome, Rose Tyler. We have been most anxious to meet with you."

Rose raised her eyes to the gentleman in front of her and watched him nod his head slowly.

"Yes, I am speaking to you in your mind due to the liquid you just drank. Concentrate on your questions and I should be able to hear them. I am sorry, I never learned your language and you've never learned mine, so this is the only available means of communication between us at the moment. You are not a natural telepath so we had to drink the juice of the _Agorivia Viviere_ plant in order to be able to communicate. It is perfectly harmless to your kind and mine, so do not worry about unpleasant side effects. Now, please pay attention, we have much to discuss."

He waited for her mental assent and began again. "Let me explain what we do know about you. You came from another universe with the Doctor once before you were stranded here. You traveled with him as a companion and have faced many dangers. You helped him heal from the psychological effects of the time war and you became friends. You determined to save his life no matter the cost to you when you absorbed the time vortex and traveled back to the game station. The Doctor determined to save your life when he took the time vortex from you, causing his regeneration in the process," he sat back against the dark green cushions and looked at her expectantly. At Rose's nod, he continued after another sip of the liquid in the goblet. "You love him," he stated smiling at Rose's shocked look. "That is the shocking bit of information you were looking for earlier, by the way," he chuckled warmly. "Before we go any further, we need to discuss the present. You have the opportunity to go home, if you want, or to travel to the void. Unfortunately you can't stay here."

As he said this, he waved his hand towards the pedestal in the center and the liquid in the bowl began to boil. Steam rose into the air and surrounded both of them in a thick white fog. Rose strained to see the other occupant of the room, but all she could see was a wall of whiteness. She began to panic at the loss of vision.

"Relax Rose Tyler. Close your eyes and concentrate. Breathe deeply and regularly and don't move."

He waited while she did so, "Good. Now search with your mind for a golden light."

Again he paused, waiting while Rose followed the golden light that had suddenly appeared in front of her.

"See it? Good! Now, follow that light to its end, see the web in the middle? That's the universe in which all possibilities are contained. Now step back so you can see everything," again, another pause for Rose to follow his directions.

"Here is your timeline," he stated as a gold and silver rope glowed brighter than the others surrounding it before being separated from the web.

As it drew nearer, Rose watched it thicken until it was as thick as her thigh. It was bright gold, shot through with silvery veins like those in the marble. The silvery veins swirled and twirled around the golden strand and pulsed rapidly in tune with her heartbeat. Other darker strands branched off of the main strand and faded off into nowhere. Rose watched as her timeline ended abruptly and figured that meant death or something equally ominous. Not wanting to dwell on that, she switched her attention back to the seer's voice.

"Now look at the web of the universe without your timeline."

Rose looked at the web, which seemed to glow as brightly as the sun and pulsed rapidly with health. Looking at it filled Rose with unspeakable awe and joy. This is what the Doctor saw every time he looked at the timelines.

"This universe has already incorporated your mother and your friend Mickey, there is no danger to the universe from their timelines. Now, add your timeline back into the web of this universe and watch what happens."

Rose did as he bade and watched the universe begin to darken more and more rapidly as its pulse slowed to a snail's pace before the whole thing stopped and went black as pitch. Rose felt inexplicable sadness at the sight. 'How can I allow this to happen? I have to leave this universe and I am more than willing to do so; not only to save the universe but also to go back home.'

She felt the seer's presence beside her. "Why does my being in this universe affect it in this way?" Rose asked.

The seer sighed. "That, Rose Tyler, is why you were brought to me. You have an enormous amount of power within you. This power is draining the universe at an alarming rate. If you were to be sent to the void, the power will not have anything to feed on, thereby becoming benign, and if you go back to your own universe the power will not be harmful because that is where the power came from to begin with; so there would be no strain on the universe to sustain it. You, Rose Tyler, are here with me to make a decision. You have a choice, a very important choice, and it is within these walls that you must make that choice. Rose you have a destiny, not everyone has one contrary to common human belief. You must choose to accept your destiny or to run from it."

Rose looked at the seer confusedly, belatedly realizing that they were no longer in her mind but back in the seating area they started out in with the goblets on the table and the bowl full of liquid between them.

"If I have a choice, I choose to go back to my universe. I don't want to be stuck in the void with the remaining Daleks and Cybermen. I want to be reunited with my Doctor."

The seer smiled and replied, "an admirable decision Rose Tyler, but not the decision that you need to make. Rose, you are destined for greatness far beyond any other human throughout time." His smile faded, "you must either choose the path that leads to this destined greatness or choose the path that leads away from it."

He watched as she began to ask what her destiny was, shaking his head negatively, he said, "I cannot tell you what your destiny is, you must make this decision blindly. Only once the decision has been made will you be lead to find out what your destiny is."

"Can you tell me, is the path going to be hard?" Rose felt like a child seeking assurance. She felt trapped and a little bit scared at the prospect of having a great destiny, though she knew that if she was with the Doctor, she'd be able to handle anything.

"My child, the path to greatness is always hard. There will be times of great sadness, of pain and suffering. However, like any road, there will be times of great joy and of great love that will lessen the aches of the other times. You will have to give up a great deal, but you will gain even more. I will not lie to you Rose Tyler, once you embrace your destiny, you can not change your mind and run away from it. You will be dragged along unwillingly, causing greater pain to you and those you love. Your destiny is too great and too powerful to be denied after being accepted. There will be many times that you will wish you had never accepted it, there will be many times when you curse it, and there will be many times that you will be forced in a direction you do not want to go. Does this answer your question?"

Rose nodded. She got butterflies in her stomach at the thought of something that momentous, that huge, controlling her every move. She felt that calming woolen brown presence keeping watch in the back of her mind, sending her peace and calming her fears. She remembered it telling her she'd never be alone. The butterflies disappeared leaving behind a feeling of ultimate peace. She knew what her decision would be, knew that destiny had already chosen for her and knew, also, that the seer knew this as well.

Smiling, the seer nodded. "You have decided quickly. That is both a blessing and a curse of humans. Impetuous lot you are."

Rose smiled serenely. "Impetuous? Maybe I am but my decision was made at the word 'Run'."

The seer spoke again, "that is as it should be"

He stood from his sitting place and grabbed the goblet to his left this time and dipped it into the basin on the pedestal. He handed it to Rose and picked up the remaining goblet also dipping it into the basin. He motioned for her to raise her goblet in the air above the basin as he did likewise. "Rose Tyler, you have accepted your destiny and now become more than you were. You have become the hope of our world, the champion of light, the companion of time."

Rose watched as he raised his goblet higher than her own and poured the silvery liquid from it into her goblet turning the liquid in hers to a bright gold shot through with silvery veins like those in her timeline. He lowered his empty goblet to the basin and dipped in once more and raising his goblet so that it was again the same level as hers. She watched as the door opened while their goblets were raised over the basin and wondered what ritual she'd backed into this time. Expecting the young man, Rose was surprised to see the Lord High President descend to the sitting area. From the belt in her robe, the President drew an ornate dagger; the tip was red with dried blood. Rose watched, fascinated, as the Lord High President swirled the bloody dagger into the seer's goblet before raising it out to show the clean blade. She pricked her palm with the tip and grabbed Rose's free hand pricking her palm as well. Using her bloody hand, the Lord High President grasped Rose's bloody hand and mixed their blood together as the seer once again poured the contents of his goblet into Rose's.

"Rose Tyler, you are no longer from Earth but are Gallifreyan. Your house has been chosen and you take your place in it proudly. You have risen like a phoenix to burn the darkness with your golden light. You temper Justice with Mercy for one can never be without the other. Your name, Bad Wolf, will ring out once more across the multiverse bringing fear to our enemies and the lawless. You are the Bringer of the Oncoming Storm, the Valiant Child, you are The Chalice."

With that, Rose lifted the goblet to her lips and drank the entire contents as the seer and Lord High President watched. With that one act, that final act, Rose Tyler the Human was written out of time and Rose Tyler the Destined was ushered into time. There was no fanfare, and Rose didn't expect there to be. There was no screaming multitude, and Rose was thankful. There was no Doctor, and Rose was saddened but she wasn't alone.

The Lord High President and Rose took their leave of the old seer. It was late and all needed rest after the naming ceremony. Out of respect for the old seer, Rose didn't speak aloud, but then she doubted if she even could after all that. The Lord High President didn't speak either and once in the hallway, Rose was motioned to silence yet again. The silence lasted until she was led to her bedchamber for the night when the Lord High President simply whispered "good night" as she left.

Rose was asleep fully clothed before her head hit the pillow. She dreamed of blue boxes and time vortexes, of naming ceremonies and the Doctor. She found herself in the library on her Doctor's TARDIS. He had a very large, extremely thick volume on the reading table and seemed to be engrossed deeply in the subject. Rose approached, wondering what had him so entranced. It looked like some sort of Physics tome. She laid a hand on the table, her left, intending to use the right hand to flip up the front of the book in order to see the title. This was the wrong decision to make as pain radiated from her palm up her arm. Her gasp alerted the Doctor who looked up into her face and questioned, "Rose?"

She smiled, "yes. It's me. Just wanted to see what you were reading. Looks like Physics."

The Doctor didn't answer. Instead he turned and picked up her hand. "You're hurt," he stated turning her palm over. "How'd you do this?" He questioned running a finger over the new split in her flesh.

Rose tried to joke, "Oh, this old thing? You know me, jeopardy friendly! Just got too close to a knife blade is all. Nothing to it really."

The Doctor stood, "Well, let's go get the dermal regenerator and get it taken care of. Not going to waste this lovely dream on worrying about you getting an infection. Come on."

Rose followed obediently, not that she had any choice with the Doctor still holding her hand. She sat where he told her and let him tend her until she was healed to his satisfaction. Together they returned hand in hand to the library where instead of picking up where he left off, the Doctor sat on the couch and pulled her onto his lap.

Rose leaned against him, listening to the thump of his two hearts and thought, 'this is home. This is where I belong.' She felt his arms tighten around her as if afraid she'd disappear. Feeling content but still curious, Rose asked again, "Reading Physics Doctor?"

She felt the rumble of his chuckle against her head and the vibration of his reply, "yes. Something the Face of Boe said got me thinking so I thought I'd do some research and see if I could find anything. But no luck yet."

He sighed, "Nothing to worry about Rose. Let's just spend as much time as we can together alright? Never know when I'm going to dream of you again and I miss you like crazy when you're gone."

Rose hugged him as best she could in her position. "I miss you like crazy when I'm gone as well. I am trying to get back to you Doctor. I will find a way. They can't keep us apart forever, I won't let them."

She felt the Doctor smile into her hair as everything faded into darkness. The last thing she heard was his voice saying, "I believe in you Rose. Always have, always will."


	8. The Verdict

Rose awoke abruptly, as if someone had startled her. She was hyperaware of everything, the slightest movement or noise received her full attention instantaneously. She noticed three important things simultaneously; one, it was still the middle of the night; two, she could hear better than she ever had and three, she could see in the dark as well as she could in daylight. This was a little overwhelming at first, and Rose could hear her heartbeat begin to speed up as her brain tried to process the information being fed it through her senses. However, she quickly realized that something else needed her attention. There was a man in her room!

"Rose Tyler," the man intoned as he moved closer to her bedside. "You have nothing to fear form me my dear. I only wished to be the first to greet you, to welcome you to the fold, so to speak. You'll get to know me and my fellows better and better throughout the years, but I hastened our first meeting a little in order to satisfy my curiosity." He was dressed kind of like the Colonel from that American Fast Food Chain named after a state or something similar. All dressed in white, he looked like a kindly old grandfather with mischief in his eyes. They were blue, the clearest blue of a Caribbean sky, cloudless and bright with sunshine and warmth.

"Who are you?" Rose whispered, ever mindful that everyone else was sleeping.

"I, my dear, am the White Guardian. I am the keeper of time and order in the galaxy. And you are my newest recruit."

Rose sat straighter, "you make it sound like I've just been drafted into the army or something."

The Guardian chuckled warmly. "In a way you have. You see there are those beings who are called to be more than they are. They are protectors, always keeping the balance of the multiverse. Your Doctor, out of all of his counterparts, is one such being. He is destined to become one of us as are you…eventually. You have been chosen, Rose Tyler, out of all other humans on your planet to become a guardian. When you blindly accepted your destiny earlier this evening, you accepted your role of protector. You will travel to places you've never dreamed of, meet people you never would have otherwise, and become a force of nature when the time comes. Already your acceptance has changed you into a new being. You have noticed your heightened senses, your cut on your hand has healed, there are other changes as well, but I'll let you discover them for yourself."

Rose looked at the guardian. There were so many questions she wanted to ask running through her head. The only one to make it out of the tangled mess of thoughts was, "Will I see my Doctor again soon?"

The Guardian chuckled again as he faded out of sight, "You'll be reunited with him, yes, when the time is right. For now, learn what you can Rose. You'll need it in the future."

Rose growled low in her throat, "That's not what I asked Guardian!" She pounded the bed in frustration, getting lost in thoughts she didn't recognize. She was surprised when she returned to reality to find the Lord High President standing in the room with her.

"Come sister time to prepare. The verdict will be rendered today. We must prepare a chamber for tonight as well. I hope you rested, you will need it for today's events."

Rose followed the leader of Gallifrey into a dressing room where she was handed a new robe, collar and slippers. The robe was the same deep red as the one she wore yesterday except for the gold edging along the hems and sleeves. The collar was larger, with gold and silver swirl patterns as before, except that this time they seemed more uniform in pattern. Rose didn't waste time wondering on this change, she was too preoccupied with the coming verdict. She bathed and dressed quickly pulling the hood of the robe over her golden hair. She followed the President down the marble hallways and through the chamber doors. The council had already assembled, the chancellor and advisor were in their places and Adric was also back in his place at the back of the room. Rose moved into the circle and began to wait until the verdict was reached.

She was surprised to find the buzz in the back of her mind from the day before to be missing. In its place she heard low level conversations, like those at a cocktail party. Beneath the conversations was a constant pleasant humming like that of the Doctor's TARDIS. She wished she could speak with him while she was waiting but knew that he was out of reach. She was bored. She noticed the humming grow louder until a voice like an ocean sounded in her mind.

'Rose Tyler. You wished to speak while waiting. Perhaps you'll speak with me instead of our bonded.'

'TARDIS, is that you? I mean, is it really you? My Doctor's you?' Rose asked excitedly.

'Yes, it is I. You and I have a bond as you looked into me and I into you. We are one, like the Doctor and I are one. Though you can hear me now when you couldn't earlier, what has changed?'

Rose pondered this for a moment before replying, 'I drank some silver liquid the seer gave me last night. Could that be it?'

The TARDIS hummed thoughtfully, 'It might be. Where are you? I know you are not on the Parallel Earth we lost you to years ago. Your time location has changed. You are static when you should be kinetic.'

Rose sighed happily, 'I'm on Gallifrey in this universe. It survived! The Doctor may be the only one left in our universe but everyone's still here in this one!'

The TARDIS hummed joyfully. The thought of not being the only ship in the whole multiverse was a cause for celebration as far as she was concerned. But even more than that, if the other Gallifrey survived, Rose could possibly come home! Her bonded had missed his Rose most dreadfully. The TARDIS knew that with everything he'd lost, losing her had been the hardest. A TARDIS didn't hope as a rule, but this one knew after traveling for millennia that hope was a needed thing. 'Will they help you get back to your universe?' The TARDIS enquired.

'I don't know yet,' Rose replied somewhat nervously. 'I'm on trial with the High Council for that very thing.'

The TARDIS made a gasping sound before questioning incredulously, 'There's never been a human on trial before! What did you do?'

Rose replied, 'Apparently I caused the death of this universe in the future if I stay here. They were going to throw me into the void like a common criminal before deciding on this trial to decide between the void and our universe as a handy place to chuck me. Personally, I prefer our universe.'

The TARDIS replied, 'As do I Rose Tyler, as do I. Do you mind if I keep watch? TARDIS are not allowed into the council chambers anymore and quite frankly I am curious to see if anything's changed.'

Rose assured the TARDIS that she didn't mind at all and came back to reality in time to hear the verdict.

"Not Guilty."

The unanimous voices reverberated within Rose's mind as relief flooded her body with all the excess adrenaline. She wasn't guilty! She watched giddily as the President nodded once in acknowledgement through the unbroken silence of the Council Chambers. The reverberations, only lessened minimally, began anew with, "Rose Tyler will be sent to her home universe as soon as preparations can be completed and a companion readied."

'Companion?' Rose and the TARDIS thought simultaneously. 'Why would a companion be needed?' Rose questioned the shocked TARDIS.

'I am not sure. Maybe you will be brought back in a TARDIS which requires Time Lords to fly properly. Shouldn't take any longer than a few days at the very latest to ready for your return in any case.'

The President spoke aloud, "Rose Tyler will be granted a TARDIS."

The waves of shock and outrage rippled throughout the chambers as voices clamored over each other in their efforts to be heard in their opposition, threatening to drown Rose in their voluminous depths. There were so many voices, all speaking at once that Rose felt like she was swimming in the ocean with a rather nasty riptide. As she felt herself seem to sink for the very last time under the onslaught, she saw spots of blackness dance before her eyes, felt her legs tremble and her body begin to give way. She looked pleadingly towards the President who that very morning had called her sister, hoping that she would notice and put a stop to the clamor. The President was too busy herself to notice Rose's desperation and Rose felt despair as the darkness rushed forward with greedy, grasping hands to embrace her.

Her salvation came from an unexpected quarter as "Enough!" Blasted through the chambers as the chancellor strode forward to the middle of the chamber and threw back his hood angrily. "The President has spoken and I agree. Her decision will stand! There will be no discussion on this matter."

The Oncoming Storm had arrived.

Rose stood there in shock, the darkness held at bay for the moment. Her first Doctor was the Chancellor? Rose almost didn't believe her eyes. She'd seen him regenerate back on the game station! 'He was dead, wasn't he?' She stared at her first love, the ninth Doctor, and began to doubt everything she knew. Didn't her current Doctor say that time wasn't linear? That it was more timey – wimey? She'd seen it herself yesterday, that tangled mass of timelines wriggling around each other like a ball of worms. Her Doctor was here!! Rose ignored the TARDIS in the back of her mind giving all valid reasons for why this was not the Doctor she was looking for. Her mind was caught up in the joy of seeing him again in so long, however that joy was quickly followed up by an intense anger. Her Doctor had lied to her! It was on the tip of her tongue to vent her venom when she noticed his eyes, not realizing until much later that it was the TARDIS that directed her to that area. The ice blue of them held no pain and suffering she was accustomed to seeing. They were cold and implacable, classic Oncoming Storm, but devoid of any of the other emotions that were always present in her Doctor's eyes. They held no warmth when looking at her, no recognition, no spark of a shred of any feeling or anything other than anger and rage. For the first time since he threw back his cowl, Rose was sure that he wasn't Her Doctor. 'This must be his parallel then,' she thought. The TARDIS agreed wholeheartedly.

While lost in her thoughts, the clamor had ceased like a stereo being switched off mid song. 'Where's a cricket chirp when you need one?' thought Rose. 'This tension's unbearable.'

"To be granted a TARDIS, she must become Gallifreyan and go through the Naming Ceremony," Adric spoke from the back of the room. "She's a human, she'll never survive!" He stated again, his voice getting louder with every word. "She's not guilty! You said it yourselves she's to be returned to her own universe! You cannot kill her now! You have all decided; your decisions are final!" He screamed the last, beating on the invisible barrier with bloodied fists, his face beet red with anger.

"Do you agree to champion her Adric?" the Doctor asked coldly. "Will you agree to put your life on the line for her, this human? Over a Naming Ceremony?"

Rose watched Adric lower his fists to his sides, watched his head lower in defeat and as his shoulders slumped in despair. She knew his decision before he did. He would not champion her; he would not risk his life for a mere human, no matter what his personal views were. He was still a baby and subject to the rules and whims of his elders. Taking pity on the young Time Lord, Rose whispered, 'It's alright Adric. You don't have to champion me. Don't risk yourself on my account.'

Adric's head whipped up and he stared at her incredulously.

'Rose?!' He whispered in her mind. 'Is that you?'

She smiled in answer. Unaware of her eyes glowing gold briefly before dimming back to their normal brown.

"There will be no need for a champion Chancellor," the President replied calmly as though unaware of the interaction between Rose and Adric. "Rose Tyler has already gone through the naming ceremony and emerged victorious. She is Gallifreyan as you and I are; of the house of Prydonian as you and I are and is my _trusted_ sister as you are my trusted friend." She lifted her palms outward like Christ on the cross showing the thin red line that graced her right hand. She motioned for Rose to do the same and Rose felt a curious golden heat sear her left palm as she raised her hands, golden light spilling from a thin line where the cut should have been. Rose began mimicking every move the President did, unconsciously following the Presidents whispered directions. The movements were like a dance, showing the entire council their twin wounds and proving the President's claims. The collective gasps of the individual council members echoed through the halls. The President's voice rang like bells throughout the chambers while they spun and moved together.

"I, Lord High President Romanadvoratrelundar of Gallifrey, hereby claim Rose Marion Tyler of Earth as sister. She will now be known as Rose Marion Tyler of Gallifrey, of the house of Heartshaven; Prydonian by blood as is her right. She takes her place in our society and as such is granted a TARDIS with which to carry out her journey. As witnessed here by all, she is no longer human but Gallifreyan with all rights and obligations thereof." Romana lowered her arms as Rose copied each movement. All focus was still on the President except for one set of ice blue eyes. The Doctor had not looked away from her the entire time the President was speaking. It was clear from his body language that he wasn't happy with this turn of events. Rose, highly amused at his put upon countenance, simply arched a brow and silently dared him to say something.

The Lord High President had dismissed the council while they were locked in their silent staring contest and seeing that her new sister and her oldest friend were not going to relinquish to each other anytime soon, strode down the steps and stood slightly between them.

"Theta," she said softly. "I need you to accompany us back to my chambers."

The Doctor opened his mouth as if to protest, but quickly and reluctantly closed it after looking at Romana's face. He could never refuse her anything though he had a dreadful feeling that he'd wish he had this once.

Roman turned to Rose, "Come sister. We have much to discuss and precious little time with which to do so." Assured that they would now both follow, she continued on between them and through the main chamber doors.

Rose paid little attention to this new rout with its many confusing twists and turns. She was too busy puzzling through the many questions running through her mind. She'd always wondered what she'd do if faced with her first Doctor and now that she was, kind of, she found her lack of response disturbing. She felt nothing for him and that shook her like nothing else could. Did something within her change at the Naming Ceremony? She heard the President's words, she was no longer human, but what did that mean? Was it metaphorical or was she really Gallifreyan now? What did it mean for her now if she was? Would she still have a short life like all other humans, or would she be like the Doctor? Could she really give him forever now, and if she could, would she still want to when she returned?

'What would he think of this? What would he say? Would he be pleased or angry like this Doctor was?' Rose wondered. She felt the panic begin to claw its way up from her stomach to grip her throat with icy talons, 'Would she lose him forever, had he already moved on? Had she been replaced?'

These thoughts ran on the hamster wheel in her mind, spinning faster and faster, drowning out the TARDIS' desperate responses to the negative as Rose began to give into the panic. The effects of the last few days caught up to her and this Doctor caught her as she fainted.

* * *

Rose awoke on her bed sometime later to find that she was alone. Well, not quite alone. There was a golden figure sitting on the edge of her bed, glowing brightly. She knew in an instant that no matter how impossible it seemed, Bad Wolf was sitting on her bed beside her. Rose was not nervous, in fact she felt only peace and love emanating from the golden figure even as it turned and pierced her with burning eyes.

"Rose Tyler, the time has come. You and I can be separate no longer. Your body is ready to accept what it was unable to before. We must become one here and now to be able to survive what lies ahead."

Rose sat up slowly, knowing that she didn't have a real choice in the matter. If Bad Wolf was here, then it had never really left her on the game station so long ago. "You've been inside me this whole time, haven't you?"

The being nodded once solemnly.

"The Doctor never really took you out, just the excess energy," Rose stated more to herself as a realization swept over her. "The excess energy is what caused his regeneration!" She looked towards the manifestation, tears in her eyes, silently commanding that she be told that she was wrong. When the being nodded once again, Rose lost control over her emotions and tears held in check flooded over the dam.

She'd never really realized that she was the one who had caused his "death" or if she had, subconsciously, she had never taken the time to deal with it. Now that the fact was staring her in the face, she could do no other. She couldn't run away from herself that was impossible. Being with the Doctor had taught her that much at least. Her Doctor had been running from himself for many years, trying to escape what he was forced to do. She knew, better than he did, that it really wasn't something he wanted to do but was forced to do. It was only that which kept him from becoming the full force of destruction that she knew he could be if he let go.

Bad Wolf stood. "Rose, you must let go of your guilt. You were unaware of what that much energy would do to you, but you were destined to become one with me. You have chosen your destiny and so have chosen me. You will come to understand that just like the Oncoming Storm; Bad Wolf is only a part of the whole. You will not cease to be Rose Tyler, just like our Doctor does not cease to be our Doctor. He is more than just a Time Lord, more than just the Oncoming Storm, he is both and more. There is a great need for us, greater than you remember. We must join so that we can meet that need."

Rose nodded once, signaling that she had heard the words and giving her assent. She watched as Bad Wolf disappeared and closed her eyes against the burning of her skin as it glowed briefly. When she opened her eyes, golden specks highlighted the brown, her hair shown like sunlight and her skin shone like it was lightly dusted with gold. She felt better than she ever had, stronger and faster, like she was a superhero or something. She felt the world turning beneath her feet, saw the timelines move and rearrange themselves around her and felt the heavens open up as a storm broke over the distant mountains. She felt Time itself, saw the millions of possibilities, the sadness and joys of the past and felt the present. She knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would see her Doctor soon that he waited on the other side of the universe for her return. She knew also that the Lord High President and the Doctor of this universe were in the other room arguing over the President's plans for her. She could not allow this, she thought as she moved her feet from underneath the red velvet covering them. She was still dressed, except for shoes and collar which were waiting for her in their proper places. She forwent the collar just putting her feet into the slippers and padding silently towards the slightly ajar door across from the bed.

She paused a moment to listen to the argument emanating from her new sister and the Doctor.

"Romana, you cannot possibly be serious about this?! You are going to risk your life for hers? This is not an action worthy of a Lord High President!" The Doctor slammed his fist on the end table to emphasize his point, succeeding only in sending his cup of refreshment bouncing into the air before thumping back down on the silvery wood surface with a loud _thunk_.

To her credit, Romana didn't so much as twitch. She did sit forward in her seat and grasped both of the Doctor's hands in hers. "Theta," she implored lowly. "There is no other way. Do you think I have not searched? Do you think I have not realized the dangers and do you not trust me to have taken the necessary precautions? I cannot do this alone, I know that. That is why you are here. I need you, _she_ needs you." Romana knew when to press and when to back off, especially with her Chancellor. Now, she had the advantage, she pressed forward one last time. "You are the only one who can do this Theta. There is no one else."

* * *

Rose, watching from the crack in the door knew that the President had won. The Doctor would do as she asked, if only to ensure the President's survival. She moved through the door as he was acquiescing.

Romana and the Doctor looked over to her as she approached them; she couldn't tell what they were thinking, which she counted as a blessing. "It seems something very important has to be discussed. I do apologize for my lack of participation to this point."

She sat down calmly on the remaining chair in the circle and looked at both of them with dignity and poise. "Now, what is this dangerous task you have set yourselves and what does it have to do with me?"

Romana leaned back and grasped the arms of her chair. "We are going to perform a Neural Transfer."

Rose wasn't expecting something like that which confused her. "A Neural Transfer? What is that exactly? Are you going to take my brain and implant something else or is it just the transfer of information from one brain into another like a backup of a hard drive?"

Romana laughed while the Doctor scowled. "Delightful human reference! I do wish you could stay longer; you would be able to shed so much light on our ways with your common sense. But to answer your question sister, it is the latter. We will take a copy of what we learned in the Academy," she paused. "What we both learned," she stressed looking at the Doctor this time before turning her attention back to Rose. "And will transfer it into your brain. This way you benefit from the Academy's teachings without attending the entire course which we do not have time for."

Rose nodded slowly. "If this was a normal situation you would be sending me to the Academy wouldn't you?"

The Doctor snorted, "I get the feeling that nothing is a normal situation with you around." His snarky comment caught Rose's attention and inflamed her already upset emotions.

"Doctor," she hissed. "I didn't ask for this, I didn't want to be dropped off into _your_ universe. I had chosen to stay behind while the rest of my only family traveled across the void. I chose to stay with your double! I was brought here against my will and now I have the opportunity to travel back across the void to where I _want_ to be and I am going to take it. You are going to help me no matter what you want, so I suggest you drop this sainted Time Lord act and get off your sanctimonious butt!"

Romana laughed delightedly, "I couldn't have said it better myself sister! Now, there is not much time left and this does take awhile. Please follow me back into your chamber so that we can get this over with and send the Doctor back to his precious Astrid."

"Astrid?" Rose questioned. "Who's Astrid?" She knew that this wasn't her Doctor but jealousy had reared it's ugly head before reason could talk some sense into it.

"Astrid is Theta's wife. He saved her from a doomed pleasure ship…The Titanic wasn't it?" Not waiting for the Doctor's nod, Romana plunged forward. "It was while he was hunting Daleks and sending them to the void. He saved her and she saved him, they fell in love and as they say on your world, the rest is history."

"Can I meet her?" Rose questioned the Doctor who looked at her sharply. "I would like to meet the woman who saved you in this universe, please." She didn't like the feeling that imploring him gave her but she felt that this was important. This was something that she had to do.

The Doctor nodded guardedly, "As soon as the transfer is over you can meet Astrid. But I warn you, you will not harm her." He added menacingly.

Rose knew it sprung up from his protective side and instinctively reached toward him to comfort and assure him before realizing what she was doing and dropping her hand. She looked into his eyes and whispered, "I would never harm your wife."

She could tell he believed her and breathed a silent sigh of relief. Yes, this wasn't her Doctor and there was no Rose Tyler in this universe so she really couldn't blame him. She was just interested in the woman that had taken her role in this universe.

The President beckoned from beside Rose's bed, "Come. Lay down Rose and we'll get this started."

Rose lay down, the President helping to assure that she was comfortable. "It might work best if you were asleep Rose, I really don't know. This has never been done before to someone who wasn't loomed and never before by other Gallifreyans."

Rose looked at the President as her eyes glowed golden, "This will work awake or asleep Romanadvoratrelundar of Heartshaven. You and this Doctor will encounter no hardships, I am guiding you." Bad Wolf faded to the background again as the addressed looked on in shock. They turned to each other, a question forming but left unspoken on their lips.

"I guess we have been given the go ahead Fred," The Doctor quipped as he placed his left hand on Rose's face. His middle finger rested lightly on her temple, his index finger at the corner of her eye and his thumb under her cheek bone. Romana copied him with her opposite hand on Rose's right side and both of them sent their minds into Rose's. The transfer had begun.


	9. Schisms, Trees and TARDISes, Oh my!

Rose watched as images flashed before her eyes like a slide show on speed and crack. It was too fast for her eyes and brain to process though she got the general feel. She saw books on Physics, Xenobiology, TARDIS Mechanics – where a voice whispered 'Jiggery-Pokery', History: Past and Future, Politics and many other subjects totally foreign to her. She saw something that looked like Chemistry and latched onto something familiar. She slowed it down as other images floated past behind her, unnoticed. She watched as male hands, obviously the Doctor's, mixed a violent green liquid with a dark purple powder. The resulting reaction made them both jump as red smoke billowed angrily out of the glass beaker. It spread quickly throughout the room while everyone raced for cover. Some old guy in blue robes and a very bad attitude grabbed the Doctor by the ear, Rose could feel her ear being yanked on by grasping fingers, and dragged him out the door as a loud explosion rocked the building's foundations. '_Obviously the Doctor learned very early on about blowing stuff up_,' she thought.

Rose let the image retreat to the background. It seemed like she was getting all of the Academy years from the Doctor, both good and bad. She was happy for that, she supposed, because you couldn't learn everything from books. She watched other classes float by in front of her, letting them wash over her and recede to the darkest corners to take up residence. She was getting restless, really there was nothing for her to do other than sit and wait. She thought about striking up a conversation with either one of them, but did not want to distract them from their important tasks. She knew it was dangerous, but with Bad Wolf keeping track, surely the danger would be lessened. She barely noticed when she dropped off into sleep.

* * *

It was night. The Doctor sat alone on the bench before the Doomsday Memorial, bleak despair etched onto his face. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, having shut his thoughts away to have at least a smidgen of respite. The TARDIS stood a silent sentry behind him, totally powered down, partly to conserve energy but mostly out of respect for their loss.

"I hate zeppelins," came a voice from his past. He looked up to see Rose moving to sit beside him on the bench. "What do you hate Doctor?"

He chuckled, accepting her presence for the time being. He must have fallen asleep again. "Too many things Rose," he whispered.

"Well then, what do you hate right now?" She countered curiously, not looking at him but at the memorial in front of them. "There's one of these on Pete's World as well, only on Ronald Dall Plaza." She stated matter-of-factly, giving him time, he supposed, to collect his thoughts.

"Well, right this very second, I hate Daleks, Cybermen, Yvonne Hartman and the parallel universe, just to name a few." He turned to look at her, seeing tears in her eyes and on her cheeks.

"Me too," she whispered as she took his hand. Turning back to the memorial, they both let the silence wash over them.

"What are you doing here Doctor?" Rose whispered some undisclosed time later.

"Grieving," was The Doctor's reply. At Rose's questioning look he continued. "Grieving for you because I cannot come get you, trying to let you go so that I can move on without you. Grieving for the loss of Donna's innocence as she ultimately pushed the button that killed those people. That's what I'm doing Rose. I'm grieving."

Rose let that pass without comment, choosing instead to ask, "Where's Donna?"

"Visiting her family. She needed it after watching Pompeii burn."

"Ah," Rose replied and The Doctor could hear the wealth of understanding in her voice. Just that one syllable, that two-letter word spoke volumes. She snuggled closer to his side. "I'm sorry," she whispered to him, not surprised when he didn't reply.

He stayed lost in thought, trying to block out the screams of dying humans and their Gallifreyan predecessors. Logically he knew they were totally different situations but the similarities were enough to weigh heavily. He was glad, very glad, for Rose's company even though it was only in his brain. Just being able to hold her eased the burden. He kept waiting for himself to wake up, for her to disappear but was glad that time had seemed to forget about them and go on about its business elsewhere.

"I miss so many things about this world," Rose began softly gaining his attention from his morbid thoughts. "Chips, you, my friends, mum's flat, the lack of zeppelins, being able to point out constellations like Orion over there-" she stopped at The Doctor's chuckle. "What?" She asked.

"That's not Orion," he chuckled again. "That's Perseus."

Rose huffed, "Didn't say I was any good at it." She laughed with him. "Anyway…" She paused, "what do you miss about Gallifrey?"

The Doctor paused, his laughter dying in his throat. The clever minx! He looked down to see Rose's serious face as he debated changing the subject, his usual modus operandi. Seeing no harm in admitting anything to a dream, he decided to reply with the truth. "I miss the silver trees, the red grass, the orange sky, the purple mountains – which are actually purple by the way, and the storms." He sighed, remembering. "I used to stand on the hill outside my home and watch the storms roll over the mountains. I loved the feel of that raw power, the rush of wind, the scent of rain, the way the sky darkened to a blood red, mirroring the grass as the grey clouds blocked out the suns. The music that the leaves on the silver trees made as the wind rushed through their branches and the patterns made in the grass as the blades waved back and forth. The way the rain would drip like melted silver from the trees. That's what I miss the most. What I wish I'd gotten to show you most of all, because out of everything I've seen, all the beautiful places and things, that is the most beautiful of all."

Rose closed her eyes to hide the tears the sadness in his voice evoked. "I wish I could have seen it too Doctor. If you could have saved Gallifrey, go back and save it, would you?"

The Doctor tensed, "that's impossible Rose. It's time locked, meaning that no one can access it. Ever." He calmed slightly as Rose patted his shoulders comfortingly.

"Of course, of course. But that wasn't the question Doctor. Would you save Gallifrey if you could?" She turned his face to her watching the panic dart around in his eyes. "If you could make your decision again, knowing what you know now, would you?" She knew he felt safe or he never would have answered the other question as she hoped that he'd answer this one.

"No," he whispered. "I would still make the same decision. Even knowing what I know now. I wouldn't change a thing." He looked at Rose, her eyebrow raised in that way she had that communicated _'I don't believe you'_. "Well," he amended, "I would change one thing." He grinned cheekily. "I'd take along more bananas." He was rewarded with the sound of her laughter and closed his eyes quickly to savor every moment of it. He knew he'd remember this dream, the entirety of it, with crystal clarity; the gift and curse of a Time Lord. His smile turned sad at the edges and Rose's laughter faded way. He opened his eyes, afraid she'd gone but she was still sitting beside him holding his hand.

"If you could come get me, without harming the universes," she added hastily as The Doctor had opened his mouth to comment. "If, Doctor. If it wasn't impossible would you? Would you come get me or would you leave me behind?"

He heard the unspoken '_like Sarah Jane and the others_' in his mind, tasted it on the air. The time had come; the question he'd been wrestling with for two years was right in front of him. He knew he loved her, had told her in his dreams before but he'd never said it for real, to her face. If he had the chance to be with her, would he take it? '_Yes!_' His hearts shouted, while his mind shouted '_No! She's safe where she is!_' He took a deep breath and dove. "Yes, I'd come get you," he answered lowly as tears began to flow down both of their cheeks. "It didn't used to be impossible. Time Lords traveled the multi-verse for many millennia, but without others it is no longer possible. Just a dream," he whispered to himself "that will never be realized."

Rose smiled through her tears, "Never say never Doctor but don't worry. Just knowing that you would if given the chance is enough for now." She stood up and brushed her hands down the back of her slacks.

'_When did she wear slacks?_' He had time to think before Rose reached down and grabbed his hands to pull him to his feet. "Enough wallowing," she stated firmly. "Now go into London, grab Donna and take her to a nice relaxing resort somewhere. You both deserve a break form saving the universe."

She pushed him in the direction of the TARDIS and watched from behind as he walked toward it confusedly. He paused at the door to turn back. "Rose," he called. "I've made a habit of admitting my feelings in these dreams. Can't stop now." He paused again to draw a deep breath. "I love you."

Rose felt her heart jump for joy as it always did when he admitted it. "I love you too Doctor," she called back, waiting until he was inside and had shut the door. "See you soon," she whispered to the night air and the TARDIS, receiving an answering hum.

She turned back to the Memorial and crouched down to find her and her mother's names. Taking out her sonic screwdriver, she carved a small rose beside them both before fading away.

* * *

She came to in her room, on her bed, alone. '_The neural transfer must have been completed,_' she thought to herself. She hadn't been worried; she knew that everything would be fine. Bad Wolf and her destiny told her that. She briefly wondered what today would hold. Only 48 more hours before she'd be sent to her own universe in her own TARDIS. She began to gather butterflies. She remembered the dream from last night, how the doctor wished he could show her his planet, and how he would come for her if he could. She knew one was a moot point, she'd be going to him instead of the other way around, but his description of the trees, grass and especially the storms caused a longing to spring up inside her. She wanted to experience it herself before she left this Gallifrey.

She noticed a door across the room that she'd not had time to explore. Curious, she slid off the bed and padded across the warm marble flooring. It was green, the same as the marble in the Seer's chambers and Rose didn't remember noticing that before. Dismissing the thought that it was out of place, she continued on and opened the door. The sight that greeted her took her breath away. A white marble verandah extended from her door to a garden so spectacular and alive that Rose immediately thought of Alice in Wonderland. She almost began looking for the Cheshire Cat. She stepped onto the verandah, intent on racing quickly to the garden beyond but stopped and gasped at the sensations running through her body from the silver veins in the marble under her bare feet. She could feel them reach out to her with their limited consciousness. The marble really was alive!

She watched images of past presidents walking over and around this same verandah, one she recognized as The Doctor, another as Romana. She saw them each stare out at the gardens she'd yet to see, contemplating actions that needed to be taken. She watched as The Doctor accepted his role in the war, watched as, with a heavy heart, he passed the mantle onto the next President, watched as he boarded his TARDIS to fly into battle. She watched as Romana wiped tears from her eyes and donned the President's collar as she accepted her friend's last wish. She watched as The Doctor and a young blonde woman met Romana on this terrace and watched as Romana married them. Rose watched curiously, eyeing the blonde woman who was so completely in love with The Doctor it was palpable. She scrutinized The Doctor's face and found nothing but joy and love for this woman.

Unaware that she was crying, Rose closed her eyes to the scene playing out before her as the view shifted to include her Doctor and herself in the others' places. She knew that last scene was a fantasy, that she had not stood here and married her Doctor and likely never would. She knew he did not "do domestic", but she couldn't help but hope, and it was painful.

The scenes faded away gently and Rose floated back into reality. With her feet firmly on the marble, she walked to the edge of the terrace and descended into the most beautiful garden she'd ever seen. Dark red grass ran in neatly trimmed areas between white marble chip pathways. In the center of the grassy areas, purple flowers warred with pink, green, blue and yellow as they cheerfully drank in the sun, at the center of the garden stood a tree with silvery bark and silver leaves. Rose ran quickly to the tree just to touch the leaves. She watched as a branch lowered itself to her outstretched hand so that she could run her fingers across the leaves. She heard the delicate chimes of the leaves knocking together because of the tree's and her movements and she sighed in great pleasure at the sound. She sank to the round and leaned against the tree trunk feeling peace steal through her. She jolted at the slight pressure at the back of her mind before realizing that it meant someone was trying to communicate telepathically.

'_Good morning child_,' boomed a voice creaky with age. Rose swore she heard a rustle like pages being turned.

'_Good morning sir_,' Rose replied politely. '_Do you mind telling me who you are?_' A warm chuckle sounded through her mind heating it pleasantly.

'_Look up,_' the voice instructed kindly. When Rose did so, she saw the tree and something green sitting in its branches. '_Care to join me?_'

A branch leaned down and scooped her up. Too stunned to form a coherent sentence, Rose contented herself with hanging on for dear life.

'_My brother already introduced himself to you yesterday,_' the voice began as Rose rode the branch into the tree's heights. '_I wanted to do the same as well. However, more important matters have come to light so I must make this a two-fold mission. I do apologize for being so abrupt_.'

Rose reached the branch to see a young woman dressed in green sitting calmly in a forked chair. The figure stood and walked forward grasping Rose's hands and leading her back to the "seat".

'_I am the Green Guardian,_' the woman stated calmly. '_Like you and every other guardian, I was chosen for a specific purpose. I guard life, all life. Plants, animals, rocks, air, planets, the Universes, all are mine to protect._' She held out her hands as she spoke and twirled around on her toes like a ballerina on stage. '_This tree is a sentient being Rose, and wished to speak with you. Since I was here and wanted to meet you, I told him that I would pave the way so to speak. You and I will speak again soon._'

Without waiting for a comment, which would have been in vain as Rose's head was spinning madly, the guardian faded away.

'_I did not wish to frighten you child,_' the tree spoke once more. '_I have been waiting a long time for you to come here and am pleased to finally have you in my branches. There are a few things I wished to speak with you about and my time on this planet is not long. Do you mind?_'

The tree waited until Rose shook her head in a negative response. She remembered the tree when she watched the Earth die what seemed like eons ago now. She felt the same awe and wonder now as she did then.

'_A gift for you,_' the tree began. It's branches bending toward her with a silver tree necklace dangling from their ends, almost blending in with the leaves to make it invisible. '_Please, do not put it on yet. When we finish, place it on the marble of the verandah where it can catch the suns' light and the storm's power. There is a storm coming which will be here later this day. Tomorrow, pick up the necklace and put it on. After that, never take it off._'

Rose began to voice a question but the tree shook a little and she quickly became more concerned with not falling.

'_Now is not the time for knowledge, child. You must have faith._' Rose nodded her understanding and the tree went on. '_You will be taken to the Schism today and will be bonded with your TARDIS. I cannot tell you the things you'll face in the Schism but do not be nervous. Each child of Gallifrey faces the Schism at least once, before the Academy. If they pass, they are granted Time Lord status. If not…well you don't have to worry about that. As I have told others, it is no worse than what you expect and no better than what you do not._'

Again, Rose began to form a question and again the tree discouraged her.

'_Okay,_' she thought. '_Message received._'

The tree's chuckle again echoed warmly. '_You are a curious one. You remind me of the President and The Doctor when they were younger. But those are stories for other times. You will be taken to The Garden to pick your TARDIS. I know you are bonded with the one in your universe and that bond will never be broken. Do not feel like you are betraying Theta's TARDIS by choosing one of your own._' This time, the tree anticipated Rose. '_You'll find out soon enough child. What happens is always meant to happen. That is all you need to know for now._'

The voice seemed to be getting weaker. '_It is time for our conversation to end. I will let you down now and rest. However, I ask that once you get your TARDIS you bring it here to this garden and sit it beside me. It has been a long time since I last spoke with one and will enjoy doing so again._'

Rose nodded as the branches came forward to lift her down. The necklace was clutched tightly in her fist and her arms were wrapped around the supporting branches. She was relieved if a little disappointed when her feet touched the ground. '_Quickly now,_' the tree admonished as if from very far away. '_Place it on the verandah and please do not forget about your TARDIS._'

Rose moved to comply, laying the necklace on the verandah as the doors next to hers opened and Romana stepped out.

"Rose!" The President exclaimed. "You look like you've been climbing a tree!" There was a mischievous sparkle in her eyes as she winked and leaned down to whisper, "have a good conversation?"

Rose flushed guiltily but nodded. Romana stood back, "Theta and Astrid will be here in a few minutes so you have time to clean up a little. Might I suggest that you leave those leaves in your hair? They look stunning on you."

Romana moved past into the garden and Rose hurried into her chambers to get ready. As she passed through the doors, Romana called "I left a collar for you to wear on your bed along with a fresh robe."

By the time Rose had bathed, keeping away from her shampoo as Romana was right and the leaves did suit her, and dressed in her new outfit, The Doctor, his wife and Romana were seated at a table on the verandah and were being served breakfast.

Romana looked up, pleased with the way Rose looked in the golden collar and blood red dress. This one, she'd chosen because of the green trim, a tribute to the Seer who would be taking Rose to the Untempered Schism. Romana would have accompanied her herself, but once was plenty and she knew The Doctor would refuse as well. "You are just in time! Come! Sit down and eat while I let you know what we'll be doing today."

Rose sat in the chair provided for her, sandwiched between her "sister" and The Doctor's wife. Curious, she glanced at this at this woman who'd captured his heart; it was in his eyes as he looked at her. She had so many questions but didn't want to ask in front of him. She wanted the unbiased story that only Astrid could answer and knew that she'd censor the rough bits with him there. '_After all,_' she thought. '_I'd do the same thing._'

Romana and the rest left her to her thoughts as they ate. The food, Rose was delighted to note, was similar to Earth food and did not taste like bananas. She didn't know that all three had spent copious amounts of time on Earth, nor did she know that whenever they dined together it was on food that the cooks could get as close as possible to the "real thing."

Once everyone was done, Romana addressed the table. "Rose, Theta and I must attend to business this morning. The Seer will pick you up and take you to face the Untempered Schism. Once you pass that test, you will be granted the title of Time Lady and will be afforded a TARDIS of your own to take with you. I know I granted you a TARDIS, but a ceremony makes it solely your sand of course makes it look better to the rest of my people. I cannot tell you what you will see or face as it is different for each one of us."

She and The Doctor rose from their seats. "We'll leave you and Astrid alone while you wait." With that, they left and Rose was given the opportunity to ask the question plaguing her the most.

"So, how did you and The Doctor meet?"

Astrid sat back, relieved and happy. Relieved because that was an easy question to answer, not all of them were and happy because that would have been her first question if the tables were reversed.

Astrid began as Rose listened raptly. The similarities were astonishing! She was surprised to find that she genuinely liked this woman and thought she'd make it a point to look her up when she got to the other Universe. The Doctor would like her too!

She hoped that if The Doctor were ever stuck in a universe without her, he'd find Astrid as a suitable replacement, or if there were any other universes where there was a Doctor but no Rose, that there was an Astrid or someone like her to complete him. She expressed as much to Astrid who laughed gaily and replied the same.

Rose told her the story of how she and her Doctor met and Astrid was surprised as well with the similarities. She remarked, "Must be something about the type of women we are. Did yours ever tell you that you were jeopardy-friendly?" She laughed when Rose nodded smiling. "Well, that's it then! We've found his type!"

They both broke out laughing and stopped only when the Seer cleared his throat loudly behind them. Rose and Astrid both flushed guiltily as Rose mumbled "sorry," wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Lost track of time," she admitted sheepishly before breaking into fresh giggles and the Seer smiled.

"No problem young Chalice. But come, we must hurry. You have an appointment. I trust the Lord High President told you?"

Rose nodded as she left the table, giving a small wave to Astrid who stayed behind. She realized they'd been talking for hours! She saw Astrid cross her fingers to wish Rose good luck as she turned back around and walked through the closest set of doors.

"Haven't seen this room before," she remarked as they crossed through Rose's sitting room too quickly for her to do anything but form a quick impression. Rose decided that gorgeous was the word to be used. She'd have to take some time to really explore later.

The butterflies in her stomach set to fluttering more and more madly the closer they got to their destination. She felt the rising level of power with each step and when it became almost unbearable she stopped, not surprised to find a doorway in front of her and the Seer.

He opened the door and led her into a small room, like a doctor's waiting room back home, Rose observed silently. On a table beside the chairs was a pitcher with the same silver liquid as that of her naming ceremony. She watched as the Seer poured her a goblet full and handed it to her.

"Rose Tyler, The Chalice," he intoned solemnly. "It is your time to be tested by the Untempered Schism as is the right and duty of every Gallifreyan. You are to tell no one what you see in the Schism and no one is to ask. If you can look into the Schism and accept what you see therein, you will be granted status of Time Lady in accordance with our laws and traditions. If you cannot accept what you see therein, you will be cast out of our society, doomed to be separated from our cities, our teachings, and our knowledge. Now drink and be purified for none may enter without being cleansed."

Rose's hand shook slightly at the weight of his words. She knew she'd be fine, she had to be. That thought calmed the butterflies and the warm surge of love she felt come from the back of her mind steadied her hand. Rose drained the goblet and somewhere in the room a gong rang. She walked toward the door in front of her and waited while it was opened from the inside. When the doors finished swinging, Rose stepped through and faced the Untempered Schism alone.

She looked into it, and it looked into her, like recognized like and each acknowledged the other. Images flashed, knowledge was passed and The Chalice walked from the spot that Rose had stood.

Through the rooms a whisper reverberated, "Time Lady."

Rose emerged from the room to find the Seer sitting on one of the room's chairs. Without saying a word, he stood and opened the door for her. They parted ways silently in her sitting room where Rose sat in a daze. She wasn't alone for long. The Doctor and Astrid entered from the verandah almost the instant the door closed behind the Seer.

"So you passed," The Doctor stated. Rose didn't answer. Astrid walked toward Rose and grasped her hands.

"Come Rose, we must head to The Garden now. We have to pick up your companions."

"I thought I was being granted only a TARDIS," Rose asked confusedly. "Why would I need companions?"

The Doctor sighed, "You'll need to ask Romana that."

Rose nodded once, mentally adding a reminder to do just that.

They walked down more marble halls and descended down to the ground level via a series of lifts and Rose, who was still dazed from her first appointment, was delighted to find that she'd remembered every twist and turn they'd taken. '_this will definitely come in handy. I have my own turn-by-turn navigation system!_'

They met Romana by her air car and Rose was instantly curious.

"Where are we going?"

Romana laughed delightedly. "We are going to The Garden to pick your TARDIS and then we are going to get your companions." At Rose's questioning look, Romana added, "You will take one couple from each chapter with you when you cross along with plants, animals and a few other things from the planet. You and your Doctor are going to rebuild Gallifrey from the ashes."

"How," asked Rose. "The Doctor said that Gallifrey was lost forever."

Romana turned around in her seat and faced Rose directly. "Search your new knowledge. You know how it's possible and how it will be done. You know what you need and what will be provided to you. You are a Time Lady now and you must begin to think as one."

Rose sat back and closed her eyes. Visions began to play in her head of the planet, the people and the civilization rising up before her. Suddenly she knew how this would all happen. She watched buildings raise out of the dust, families grow and TARDISes fly outward like seeds blown from a dandelion; spreading the workload, sharing in the running and adventure. '_They will become what they should have been all along_,' she thought delightedly.

Lost in examining her new thoughts and knowledge, Rose only dimly registered that they had reached their destination. Rose watched in amazement as a new TARDIS was cut loose from a brown vine and gently moved away from its siblings. She heard the joyful chorus from all the other's still attached and growing as their fellow was taken away. At Romana's urging, Rose began to walk down the rows of mature TARDIS but her attention was still on the one being taken away. She felt drawn to that particular TARDIS, as if it were calling to her. Turning, she decided to follow it's voice.

The two workers leaned the TARDIS against the side of the building and left it there, turning in surprise at being followed. They made to stop Rose as she approached but were motioned back by The Doctor and Romana. One had seen this before and the other had experienced it before. They both recognized it though it was unexpected. Hanging back, they watched as the TARDIS opened up and Rose walked into the golden light.

Romana, The Doctor and Astrid all looked at each other after the door had swung shut before breaking into laughter. "Well, that wasn't hard now was it?" Romana asked.

The golden light surrounded her. It embraced her, ebbed and flowed through her. She drifted in it like a water plant floating back and forth without a care in the world.

'_Who are you?_' the TARDIS asked.

'_I am Rose Tyler from Earth,_' Rose replied. She felt the TARDIS' confusion at that and added, '_from a different universe. I traveled here with a Time Lord and have gone through a naming ceremony making me Gallifreyan._'

'_You are young for a Time Lady, but I see that there is more to you than you are admitting. You are Bad Wolf, the Defender of Earth, the Companion of The Last of The Time Lords, The Chalice and will become so much more._' The TARDIS hummed to itself in what Rose took as a thoughtful way.

'_We will do well together. I approve._' The golden light brightened to the point that Rose's eyes shut could still see like daylight. She felt warmth creep up from her toes and settle in her head and heart. She felt a piece of each rip away and travel down through her body and out her feet as the TARDIS bonded with her. As the light faded, she heard, '_Now we will travel the stars together Bad Wolf, for eternity._'

The doors opened and Rose walked back to the three beings waiting for her. Romana and The Doctor smiled grandly and apparently felt the need to state the obvious.

"You're bonded!" Rose rolled her eyes and Astrid smirked.

It wasn't until she was back in her sitting room that Rose realized that this might change her reunion with The Doctor. She had her own TARDIS. '_What does that mean for me being his companion? I'm a Time Lady on my own. Will I feel differently now because I can do it on my own? Will he?_' Her mind spun in circles showing her different scenarios until she felt quite motion sick at the rollercoaster like ride. She had just moved to go to bed when Romana walked in from the terrace.

"All in all a productive day, wouldn't you say?" She asked as she moved through the room.

Rose nodded wearily as she opened her chamber door. She wasn't being rude; she was just suddenly very tired. The Untempered Schism, the Green Guardian, the conversation with the tree outside and the conversation and subsequent bonding with her TARDIS really took a lot of her energy. She didn't want to admit it but now her mind was preoccupied with worrying about her return to her universe and what that would mean. It seemed like her title had changed again from Defender of the Earth to Builder of Worlds and Defender of Them. Rose literally felt her To-Do list grow exponentially. '_And the Lord High President of Gallifrey wanted to chat?_' She snorted. "Good night Romana," she stated as she opened her chamber door.

Romana chuckled lowly. "Good night my sister." The door closed behind Rose Tyler as Romana sat on the chair she had occupied moments ago. "Sleep well, you'll need it in the coming days."

* * *

The winds of change moved with increasing speed down the mountains to the west. Gathering speed, they headed for the garden of the Lord High President and the ones who had called them. The multiverse would never be the same again.


	10. Partings

The storm lasted all night, dissipating in the morning light. The twin suns of Gallifrey turned the puddle of rain on the verandah to a bright gold before it disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving in its place the silver tree necklace that Rose placed there the day before winking in the bright sunlight.

* * *

Rose awoke with the dawn, saddened a bit by not dreaming of the Doctor the night before. She sat, taking stock of the rapid change of events in her life in the past four days before feeling a tug in her mind from the direction of the garden. Rose dressed mechanically, not realizing what she put on or the changes in her wardrobe. Walking out on the verandah, she paused only to pick up the necklace before proceeding down the steps while putting it around her neck. She walked toward the center of the garden, vaguely noticing her TARDIS was sitting alone where the tree stood proudly yesterday afternoon. The door to her time ship opened and golden light spilled forth. Rose walked into her ship and the door closed behind her shutting out the world beyond.

If Rose was surprised to not see the tree in the center of the garden, she was even more surprised to see the tree in her TARDIS.

'_Good morning child,_' the silver leaves shook and trembled in the chamber.

Rose replied automatically, '_Good morning sir._'

The leaves shook again with the tree's chuckle. '_I have decided that I will travel with you back to our universe. It will be good to breathe my original universe again._'

Rose nodded slowly. She knew everything about this tree from Romana's memories and though she knew how important this tree was to her sister, Rose felt more at peace knowing that it wanted to return with her. It was a surprise, but a welcome one, knowing something familiar from this Gallifrey would be along for the ride to the new one.

'_We will be leaving at dawn's first light tomorrow._' The tree informed both of them. '_Today will be full of preparations and a feast for those leaving this universe. As your TARDIS is so young, you will only carry me and another companion. All the others will carry the rest of the necessities and the other Time Lords and Ladies. Today we will take a brief trip to familiarize you with each other. We should do this now while you are here and not being required elsewhere._'

Rose nodded once again, automatically.

'_Where would you like to go?_' The tree asked, already knowing the answer.

The TARDIS was already humming its dissolution sequence and entering the vortex when she answered. '_Home._'

* * *

Jackie and Pete looked up from the breakfast table at the familiar whoosh-whoosh that signaled the TARDIS materialization. Jackie beat Pete to the rose garden by a mere two seconds and had already yanked the door open before he could stop her.

"Rose!" She shouted into the open console room. "Rose!" She screamed joyfully locating her daughter behind the controls. She ran up the ramp and threw her arms around her daughter and squeezed tightly.

Rose only had a moment to think '_Thank Rassilon for respiratory bypass_' as she clung tightly to her mum. Gently disentangling herself from Jackie, Rose looked at her mum fondly. "Told ya I'd come back before I left if I could. Leaving tomorrow morning, so wanted to say goodbye proper before I go."

Jackie sniffled and wiped her eyes with her palms. "So. You're really leavin' then." She stated resignedly. "Knew it the moment I saw you with him you'd be goin' back. Glad you came to say goodbye to your ol' mum though."

Rose smiled sadly, "'Course I'd say goodbye, mum. And I'll bring the Doctor back to visit soon's I can. Promise. I may not be able to stay here, but I sure can come visit!"

"See that you do Rose," Pete said from the doorway.

Both women turned his direction and Pete gasped. Rose was no longer human, he was sure of it. He knew from her Torchwood medicals that she'd been changing physiologically and it seemed that those changes were now complete. Moving into the console room, Pete paused at the end of the ramp. He asked one question and waited for the confirmation that he was sure to follow. "Time Lord?"

Rose nodded, noticing Jackie's shocked face drain of all color. She watched as her mum stepped back and really looked at her for the first time since opening the TARDIS door. "Rose?" Jackie asked, a myriad of questions swimming in her eyes.

"I'm a Time Lord mum." She stated softly, "Well, a Time Lady anyway. I'm like him now. He'll no longer be alone in the Universe once I return." Rose smiled sadly as tears tracked down Jackie's cheeks.

"Always knew traveling with him would change ya. Was afraid you'd never be the same. He showed you the fantastic and the impossible. How could you go back to your normal life after that? I can't compete with him, never could. Knew from the first he'd take you away from me."

Rose began crying and took her mum into her arms. "You never had to compete mum. The Doctor knew I'd always hold onto you, yeah?" She squeezed tighter as her mum began crying in earnest, whispering words that were supposed to comfort. Her hearts were breaking inside her chest but she knew that her course was laid out. There would be no deviation. "You have Pete now mum. And Tony and Mickey. The Doctor had no one. He's got me now, yeah? If he'll have me once I return. And I'm taking a few other Time Lords and Ladies back with me. There will be Time Lords in the universe again! That'll be good, yeah? He won't ever have to be alone! That's important, yeah? This is something that I can do for him after everything he's done for me and the rest of the universe. I have to do this mum. After everything he's done and been through, don't you think he deserves this?"

Jackie's sobbing quieted and she sighed. Rose had a point. She nodded. "Don't make it any easier Rose. You're leavin' me behind again. I know I'm not alone, but I don't want you alone either. How do you know he'll want you like this? You're changed Rose, you're no longer what he remembers." She saw those fears reflected in Rose's eyes and it broke her heart. Jackie didn't really think the Doctor would turn Rose away, he loved her daughter and Jackie knew it even if himself didn't. It pained her to point out the obvious flaws in the plan but she felt she had to.

Rose pushed the fear away. If she dwelt on that, she'd never be able to do this and it had to be done. "I know mum, but I have to try. If he turns me out, I'll just go on my own. He still won't be alone, even if I'm not with him." She trembled as she softly added, "I love him so much; I have to do this. No matter the cost."

Jackie tightened her hug before releasing her daughter and backing away. Wiping the tears off her cheeks, Jackie said briskly "Right. Well if he doesn't want you, slap him silly and knock some sense into him. If that don't work, come get me and I'll make him see reason right quick."

Rose and Jackie smiled at each other, the crisis averted. Neither had noticed that Pete had left earlier until the TARDIS door opened and he walked in again carrying a small bag.

"Rose, I gathered a few things for you in case you got to come see us before you left. Did you get that other item?"

He sighed at Rose's blank face. "The item I placed in your pocket?" He reminded her.

Rose's face showed mortification and shock and Pete chuckled warmly. "Forgot about it did you? No problem. Just don't open this bag until you get that other item then."

Rose nodded, searching her memory for where that jacket might be now.

'_It's in your wardrobe,_' the TARDIS replied.

She took the bag from Pete and set it near the jump seat. "Thank you dad."

Pete nodded silently, too touched to speak. She'd never called him that before. Blinking tears from his eyes, he slapped his hands together. "Right! Want to show us around?"

Rose laughed and nodded. "It'll be a short tour, I'm afraid. I'm a baby Time Lady and have a baby TARDIS!"

The TARDIS blew an electronic raspberry at Rose's comment and everyone laughed. The tree at the back of the room listened silently as the voices faded down the short hallway as it continued to make plans and weave timelines.

* * *

The Doctor gazed at the TARDIS console as she hummed happily. She'd been in an exceptionally good mood for the past four days but refused to tell him why. Even Donna'd commented on the TARDIS' happy humming.

"_Why's she so happy then?" Donna had asked when he'd grabbed her from her family._

"_Don't know," he'd replied. "Won't tell me. Says it's nothing." The Doctor had shrugged and that was the end of the conversation as far as he was concerned. "Could be that time of the month, I suppose."_

_Donna smacked the back of his head as she walked past him up the ramp and the TARDIS blew a raspberry as the Doctor shouted, "Oi! What was that for?!"_

Returning to the present, the Doctor briefly considered "motivating" her to tell him before wisely dismissing the idea completely.

'_She'll tell me eventually,_' he decided as he sat back in the jump seat. Donna was sleeping and the Doctor wished he could drift off to dreamland himself. It seemed the only place he could see Rose. He sighed longingly. '_Maybe a quick trip back to Earth,_' he decided. They'd left the planet Midnight a few hours before and just almost a day before that he'd dreamed of her while sitting at the memorial. They hadn't been gone long, but he was already bored. He wanted to do something, anything really. Anything would be better than sitting here listening to the happy hum from the ship. '_And I cut Donna's visit short,_' he thought. '_I could go back, drop her off for a proper one. Maybe something exciting will happen._'

He walked to the console and entered the coordinates then listened to the change in the TARDIS' humming as she followed the new directions towards Earth. Deciding a cuppa and a biscuit were in order as a self-congratulations gesture, he headed towards the kitchen.

'_Something exciting… Little does he know how right he is_,' thought the TARDIS smugly as she continued to plot and plan.

* * *

The feast was delicious and everyone was extremely stuffed. There were the obligatory speeches, the well wishes and the solemn goodbyes at the closing of the festivities. Rose was tired and bored. She wanted nothing more than to jump into her TARDIS and leave. Now. Right this minute. She knew that she had to stay for the whole of the occasion due to her status as the Lord High President's sister but it was excruciating to be forced to listen to one more speech given by one more pompous high council member. Romana glanced over to Rose sitting beside her and grimaced slightly.

Rose, catching Romana's glance thought, '_If I have to listen to one more pompous windbag, I'm gonna scream!_' Romana's chuckle reverberated in her head.

'_I know what you mean Rose. But don't worry, there's only one more speech scheduled after this one. Then you can escape._'

Rose sighed. '_I'm serious Romana! I can't take anymore. I have to get out of here or I'm gonna explode!_'

Romana didn't reply nor did she glance at Rose as she left her seat to take her place as the final speaker. She did turn to watch Rose blush and smiled at her slightly before beginning.

"Fellow Gallifreyans. As Lord High President, I get the honor to address all gathered before us as the final speaker and well wisher of the evening. However, I am taking this moment to also inform you that I will be leaving as well. The Chancellor has agreed to take back the position that he passed over to me during the war. My sister and fellow travelers will need guidance and it is only logical that I, being un-bonded, undertake this task. The past few days, it has become clear to me that my purpose lies elsewhere. Now, I would like to close these festivities so that all who travel tomorrow morning might rest well for the journey ahead. May Rassilon guide us as we travel through the void."

Rose looked at Romana in complete shock. The President was traveling with them? '_You're going with us?_'

Romana nodded smiling slightly. '_Yes, I thought it was wise to accompany you and help the new settlement. Besides, this President thing is boring! Too many pompous windbags!_'

Rose chuckled as they left the banquet room through the private entrance. '_Well, life with the Doctor and me was never boring!_'

Romana laughed loudly at that. '_I remember him getting into so much trouble! He rarely ended up where he wanted to go and always found himself in the midst of something or other. He'd often end up locked up in some prison on some backwater planet!_'

'_He hasn't changed much since you saw him last then,_' Rose replied laughing. '_But that's what makes it so much fun!_'

Romana laughed and nodded, '_I agree!_'

* * *

The trip through the void the next morning took two days and was entirely boring. Romana quizzed Rose in many Gallifreyan subjects to make sure that the knowledge was accessible and correct, the tree from the garden continued to silently manipulate timelines and the TARDIS listened to the knowledge of the multiverse.


	11. Home At Last!

The TARDISes broke through the void in normal fashion and with little fanfare. Only a small "pop" sounded in the universe to alert the residents of something changing. The pop was so small that the one being who would be interested in this occurrence didn't acknowledge or even pay attention. It might have been due to his sudden lack of interest in much of anything since the dreams started, or it could have been due to this being's ship masking the noise and signature from him. However it happened, The Doctor remained as the TARDIS wanted him, clueless… at least for the moment anyway.

Currently, he was in his normal "downtime" position, under her console, muttering to himself while he tinkered and puttered with things he really had no business messing with. As per usual, she let him tinker and putter and then corrected things after he was done "fixing" them. He was her bonded, after all, and tinkering made him happy. She just hoped he didn't do what he'd done to "fix" the chameleon circuit. She liked to stay in working order thank you very much. She hummed happily, content in her plans and soaking up energy from the rift. Everyone was right where she wanted them. Rose, her bonded's mate, though he was blissfully unaware of this as well, was back in this universe and bringing back a marvelous surprise for him. Jack, her beloved friend, was in his hub, also completely clueless… and, consequently, also how she wanted him for the moment. Donna was finishing up a visit to her family. The TARDIS like Donna, she was like a sister to The Doctor, and therefore family. She'd reminded him to have fun and kept his head from getting too big, a constant danger that she'd had to deal with between companions. The TARDIS knew that Donna only wanted her bonded happy and for that and that alone, Donna remained special to her.

Broken out of her musings, the TARDIS did a quick scan to find the one thing she'd feared happening. Jack was on his way up from the hub, anomaly report in hand! This caused the TARDIS some quick recalculations... apparently the universe had plans of its own and had decided to reunite The Doctor and Rose as quickly as possible.

'_Bother!_' she thought as she changed her plans to include the illustrious Captain Jack. Unknown to The Doctor, Rose and Donna, the TARDIS and Jack communicated on a regular basis. So it was no surprise to him when she commanded him to '_put that thing away Jack!_'

He grinned sneakily, "And what if I don't?"

The TARDIS huffed. '_Jack, if you don't put that report where the sun does not shine, you will never get to Arkanika IV._'

Jack's jaw dropped. "That's just a myth! There's no such thing!" As he said this, the wild stories circled round his head like a rapidly spinning top making him begin to drool. If Arkanika IV was real… The possibilities were endless!

The TARDIS smirked, she knew she had him. '_Of course there's such a thing! I have the coordinates in my system and The Doctor's even been there once or twice._' She waited, knowing that Jack was weighing the pros and cons, content to know that she had him hook, line and sinker. She thought that she might have been a good angler if she had a humanoid body. '_Gotcha!_' She thought to herself as she watched as Jack quickly complied.

He definitely didn't want to take the chance of Arkanika IV being real and him not being able to visit there! Just thinking of all of the possible experiences the planet had to offer was enough to ensure his compliance. "Okay! You win!" He waved the paper as he was stuffing it in his coat pocket, "See? Putting it away!"

The TARDIS laughed, it was almost too easy! She waited until the paper disappeared completely before speaking again. '_Jack, The Doctor does not need to know about the small "pop" you found._' She watched him narrow his eyes slightly in suspicion. '_I know all about it and it is nothing harmful to him or the universe. So do not mention it to him, even in passing. In fact, I could use your help in distracting him… you still have that bottle of Eurolusian Brandy you picked up?_'

She watched Jack's brows lift in surprise before he grinned slyly. "Want him out from under your console, hmmm?" He nodded slowly, "Ok, I can take a hint. How long do you want him gone?"

'_Oh, I think 6 – 8 hours should be plenty of time,_' she answered nonchalantly. '_Now, want to know how to get a Time Lord drunk?_' She said slyly with a hint of laughter in her voice.

* * *

  
"Stupid bolt!" Was the first thing Jack heard as he walked up the ramp ten minutes later. The Doctor's feet were the only things showing from underneath the console. Jack paused at the top of the ramp, waited a heartbeat or two, then shouted loudly, "What's up Doc?!"

A bang and muffled curse were his only answer before The Doctor's chucks began moving again as he scooted out from where he'd banged his head.

Jack was pleased to note the smears of grease on his face and hair as The Doctor sat up rubbing the back of his head. "What did you do that for?" The Doctor demanded angrily. "Excellent hearing, me. There's no need to shout, and I do remember telling you that repeatedly."

Jack held back his laughter at The Doctor's baleful glare, but grinned unrepentantly. "Awe, come on!" He cajoled, "Donna called and asked me to rescue the TARDIS from your maintenance schedule. She said you needed to relax." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, "I volunteered to relax you."

The Doctor grinned and deadpanned, "If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times, not without buying me a drink first Jack."

Jack laughed and held up a bottle of electric purple liquid, "This time I've come prepared!"

You could have heard a pin drop in the absolute silence that followed.

* * *

When the TARDISes landed at their destination an hour after entering the universe, Rose wasn't prepared for the sight that met her eyes. She had figured that New Gallifrey would be an uninhabited planet, no buildings to be found, unspoiled and untouched. She was wrong on all counts. Confused, she looked towards Romana, silently asking for an explanation.

'_The seers told the high council of Gallifrey that a big war was coming that would wipe out the entire planet. They added that one lone survivor would be left from the war to travel the stars. This survivor would make his TARDIS his home and would travel and protect the universe until his end. However, it was after this survivor's death that the universe would be without a champion. The High Council, scandalized, decided that the needed a contingency plan. You are looking at contingency plan 219-A._' She waved a hand towards the Panopticon in the distance. '_This is Gallifrey 219 and we are home now, ready to take our place in the universe. The Gallifreyans that built this while we were in the other universe are lower Gallifreyans, not Time Lords. They are the population you feel in the cities and rural areas. They have been here for four generations, protected by the measures put into place by the Lord High President and the High Council._'

Rose looked around the city in awe, she was glad for the lack of needed hard work she was expecting, though still wary of something being too easy. '_So now what?_' She asked Romana.

Romana smiled, gazing towards the city. '_Now we take our places here and celebrate. There's plenty of time to shake things up later._'

Rose shook her head. "No. Romana, we can't celebrate yet. Not without the one lone survivor of Gallifrey. It's not right." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Besides, how do we know we're safe here? What if the 'lower' Gallifreyans don't want to share their home with arrogant Time Lords?"

Romana laughed, "Sister, you are so practical! You can be assured that we're safe from outsiders simply due to this planet's location. Only TARDISes with the correct coordinates can get here. Since The Doctor never had these coordinates, he never knew this planet existed. But he will, you can be assured of that!" She sighed, a gentle look coming over her face. "As for the 'lower' Gallifreyans… Well, as I said, 'we'll shake things up later'. We are not going to segregate ourselves like in the past. Together, you and I will forge a new future for Gallifrey 219." She laid her hands on Rose's shoulders turning her so that they faced each other. "Rose, I meant what I said. We are going to do things differently here. There is no high council to keep us to old laws. We're a new Gallifrey and we can do things the right way this time. It's our second chance and you gave it to us."

Rose nodded at Romana's words, but the meanings behind them were enough to make her wonder just how long and hard setting up the new government would be. She felt Romana remove her hands and waited for what she knew would come next, Romana's eyes were twinkling madly.

"So! Do you want to send the coordinates or should I?" Romana laughed as she watched Rose sprint up the ramp and begin the process of sending the information to The Doctor's TARDIS.

The coordinates sent, Rose searched her mind for something else to do to fill the yawning stretch of time until he could get to New Gallifrey. Remembering the super phone that Pete put in her jacket pocket, Rose grinned madly as she pulled it out and pressed the green send button.

* * *

"Hello?" Slurred Jack, "You have reached the good ship TARDIS. The Doctor can't come to the phone right now, he's busy holding up the floor. Can I take a message?" He giggled, tried to cover the mouthpiece and yelled to a very drunk Time Lord, "I'm your new secretary! You've got me taking messages!"

The voice in his ear nearly caused Jack to lose another life, "Jack?! Captain Jack Harkness???"

Jack bobbled the phone in shock before gaining what composure he had left after draining almost the entire supply from his liquor cabinet. "Rosie?!" He slurred a little more clearly, sending The Doctor on the floor into a drunken ramble.

" 'Snot Rose. Can't be, s'impossible. Quit playing games and come help me hold up this floor." Were the only intelligible words Jack could understand through the TARDIS' increased humming and Rose's delighted laughter.

"Captain Jack! I thought you died on the game station! How are you? How did you survive? What do you mean The Doctor's holding up the floor? Jack, did you tip the TARDIS again?"

Jack sobered quickly, a byproduct of his new life. "Rose," he whispered. "Is it really you?"

She laughed again, less maniacally this time, "Yeah, Jack. 'S really me. I found a way across. Turns out it wasn't impossible after all."

Jack jumped in the air and let out a yell. "Yes!" He pumped his fist in victory. "I knew if anyone could do it, you could! Tell me where you are and we'll come rescue you." He glanced toward The Doctor, who'd passed out while he was otherwise occupied and added more calmly, "Er… Well, as soon as we can get the TARDIS and each other sorted we'll be there." Rose smiled, amazingly he could hear it through the TARDIS phone.

"No hurry, I'm in no danger where I am. Don't need to be rescued either. The TARDIS has the coordinates and knows where to go." She paused. "Jack? If the Doctor doesn't know I'm here yet, please don't tell him. I want it to be a surprise. 'Kay?"

"No worries Rosie mine. Won't tell lover boy here anything, though you might cause him a hearts-attack if he doesn't have some warning."

Rose laughed, "Yeah, I just might. But think of how much fun CPR could be!"

Jack grinned as she clicked off and sighed. '_Sneaky witch_!' he thought to the TARDIS. '_You knew all along, didn't you?_'

She hummed an affirmative. '_Well, to be fair, so did you. Or do you not remember the report in your pocket?_'

He flushed. '_So what's the plan?_'

The TARDIS flashed her lights in evil amusement. '_Here's what you're going to do…_'

* * *

The drums in his head pounded out a syncopated rhythm with the step dancers in clogs causing The Doctor to wonder just what in Rassilon he'd done last night. The grating of the TARDIS ramp was cold and uncomfortable, and it felt like he'd drooled a small lake. His eyes were full of sand and his body must have been hit by a Mack truck, though how he'd gotten back to the TARDIS after being hit by one, he had no clue. A sharp piercing sound and the nauseating smell of cooked food assaulted his delicate Time Lord senses as the TARDIS tried to get his attention. He had just enough sense left in his brain to wonder where the TARDIS learned to whistle Dixie before it leaked out of his ears along with everything else he knew. Cracking open his eyes, The Doctor realized he was indeed on the TARDIS grating in the console room and apparently the sadist who'd got him drunk had left a note. Squinting, he shuffled closer to get into a position to read it where it was propped against a tray filled with a steaming full English breakfast. The Doctor swallowed painfully, '_Right then, no breakfast for me at the moment._' He thought as his stomach rebelled.

Doc,

Had to run.

Took your suits to the cleaners, all of them by the helpful ship you have!

Anyway, the TARDIS left you something to wear on your bed, didn't know you wore dresses too! Said to tell you that if you wanted to ever see your suits again, you'd better do as she says.

(I'd listen to her Doc, if I were you! Don't want to get stranded somewhere!) Go, take a shower and get cleaned up. You'll need it for where you're going.

Jack

The Doctor pried himself from the grating, wincing at every aching muscle. As he stumbled toward the hallway, his head cleared and he groaned. He rushed to his wardrobe as quickly as he could and noticed that the doors were still open and the wardrobe completely empty. His beautiful suits had been kidnapped!

* * *

The contents of Rose's wardrobe were scattered all over the floor and she was standing in the midst of the mess in nothing but a towel and tears. None of her clothes were right for this first face to face after their separation.

Romana found here there, still in tears ten minutes later and took pity on her sister. "Rose," she said gently leading her to her bed and forcing her to sit. "Wear your red robe, collar and shoes. This is a Gallifreyan celebration and you want to surprise him, not stand out in the crowd. Besides, if I know The Doctor, he'll find you no matter what you wear!"

Rose smiled and dried her eyes. "You're right Romana. Forgot is all. Thanks." She picked up her robe and collar and disappeared into the bathroom to dress emerging a few minutes later to see Romana still sitting where she'd left her.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked as she bent over to grab her slippers. She didn't like the way Romana looked. She was tired, almost worn out now, where before she'd been full of energy.

Romana waved the question away with a small smile. "I'm fine sister. No need to worry about me. When this celebration is over, I'll catch up on some much needed sleep and be fine."

"Well, ok. If that's all that it is Romana, I'll try not to worry." Rose said, afterwards biting her lip and belaying the truth. She finished getting dressed and followed Romana down to the banquet hall reminiscing about the day's events. After she clicked off with Jack, Rose had followed Romana to the Panopticon where she announced to the populace the return of the Time Lords and the celebration mandatory for all to attend that evening. It didn't seem like the news was well received, but Romana assured her that things would be fine for the banquet so Rose was content for the time being to let Romana's opinion lead her own. She helped the 'lower' Gallifreyans set up the dining hall throughout the afternoon, earning her some weird glances and eventually the grudging respect of the people she was working with. She'd been accepted. Romana had disappeared to her chambers to "prepare the speech of welcoming" that she would be expected to give tonight. Rose was secretly glad that she wouldn't be the one speaking, she'd never become comfortable speaking in front of a crowd… well, unless she was angry. After the dining hall had been readied, Rose retired to her chambers to clean up for the celebration leading her back to the present. She glanced at Romana under her lashes to see if she'd missed anything while lost in her own thoughts. Relieved to see she hadn't missed anything, Rose wondered if The Doctor and Jack had made it for the celebration. '_Romana, did The Doctor and Jack make it here yet?_' She questioned. Nothing usually got by Romana, which was something she'd learned in the short time they'd spent in each other's company while traveling through the void.

Romana looked over at Rose briefly as she answered, '_Yes, The Doctor's here, though I left out everything about you. He doesn't know you are here. If he did, I have a feeling you would not have been left alone at all._' She smiled, '_I hope you're prepared for that in the future. Once he knows you're in the same room, I doubt anyone will be able to keep you apart._'

Rose's nerves increased exponentially. He was here! She'd be reunited with her Doctor tonight! The butterflies of excitement gave way to worms of dread, he'd find out she was no longer human tonight too. What would he do? Would he turn away from her or accept her for what she is now? Rose felt her body begin to shake as her legs turned to jelly. She stopped walking down the white marble corridor as spots began to swim across her vision and hissing started in her ears. She couldn't breathe!

Romana turned when she realized that Rose was no longer walking beside her. She rushed back to her sister's side as Rose fainted from the sensory overload. '_Rose!_' She screamed at her sister as she caught her, failing to shield her thoughts from the others on the other side of the door. She realized her mistake as soon as she heard a voice copy her a moment later followed by a feeling of panic as the owner of that voice rushed towards their location. She had just barely enough time to think 'oops!' before the door crashed open and The Doctor, pale and sweaty, searched the hallway frantically for them. Seeing them a short distance down the hallway from the Dining Hall, The Doctor let go of the door allowing it to swing shut on its own as he sprinted the short distance and fell on his knees, the bones making two sharp cracks at the force they hit the floor with.

"Rose!" He shouted frantically grabbing at Rose's limp body. He pushed his fingers to her pulse point near her collarbone and was only slightly reassured by the strong beating he felt there, though it was way too fast in his opinion. He glared over at Romana, "What in Rassilon happened?!" He demanded shortly.

Romana laid a calming hand on the Doctor's arm where he cradled Rose's torso. "She just fainted Theta. She's fine. She just got overwhelmed with the idea of seeing you again. She just needs some air and probably a bit of water. Come, we'll take her back to our rooms. You can have your reunion there, away from prying eyes."

The Doctor processed this information quickly. She has been here all this time? '_She's been here all this time?' He questioned Romana, not trusting his voice to hold steady. 'You kept her from me this whole time? When you could feel what I was feeling? Romana…_' He paused to gather his composure and to hold back the feeling of betrayal. '_How could you do this to me?_' He shook his head, he wasn't in the mood for dealing with her at this moment. Rose was his primary concern. He shoved himself to his feet, the red Gallifreyan robe brushing around his ankles causing a sensation he was still unfamiliar with and strode back towards the presidential apartments leaving Romana behind.

Reaching the apartments, he noticed two sets of doors. Taking a chance, he turned left and, opening the door, saw evidence of Rose's things proving his intuition correct. He gently placed her on the small settee and brushed a kiss against her forehead as he headed towards the attached bath to get a glass of water and a cool cloth for her head. He returned a couple of minutes later to see Romana standing in the doorway. He turned back towards Rose, dismissing Romana for the moment as he sank back down on the settee to place the cool cloth against her forehead. As he did so, he sighed. '_Romana, what were you thinking?_'

Romana moved farther into the room and grabbed a chair, dragging it across the floor towards the settee. '_We wanted to surprise you, both of us. Theta, she wanted this moment to be perfect for you both. I admit, I was caught up along with her enthusiasm. She wanted to meet you as an equal._' She shook her head, '_We probably should have sprung this on you as soon as you and I met this afternoon, but would you have appreciated it in the state you were in already?_' She grabbed their joined hands. '_Theta, look at me. You were already overwhelmed by the existence of this planet. Be truthful! If not with me, then at least with yourself!_'

The Doctor released Rose's hand and rose to his feet. He walked to the double doors leading out to the Presidential gardens and the tree at the center. Would he have been able to accept the existence of Rose in this universe after the shocks he had already received? '_No,_' he forced himself to admit. He gazed at the tree and his traitor TARDIS parked innocently underneath as if she hadn't had a hand in his humiliation earlier today. He thought back to the events leading up to tonight, analyzing them and trying to see them from an objective point of view.

* * *

The Doctor emerged from his bathroom dressed only in a towel to find a hated red robe and golden collar lying innocently on the bed. He jumped back as if bitten by a snake as he began to tremble. He'd not laid eyes on Gallifreyan robes since the fall of Arcadia and wasn't about to wear the hideous things. He skirted around his bedroom walls towards the door, keeping as much distance between himself and the innocent pieces of cloth and gold. Making it to the door safely, he sprinted toward the TARDIS wardrobe. He'd find something in there that would do, surely. He was so shaken up, he didn't realize that there was no wardrobe door until he literally ran past where it should be. He doubled back, only to realize that it wasn't there. '_Put that door back where it belongs!_' He demanded of the TARDIS, only to have her respond with a negative hum. '_What do you mean, no?_' He demanded hotly. '_I have to get dressed!_'

'_Your clothes are lying on your bed. You have no need of the wardrobe room,_' the TARDIS calmly replied.

"I am NOT wearing those ridiculous robes!" Screamed the Doctor at his 'faithful' ship. "You can just make them disappear and get me something else to wear! Anything else!"

'_Anything_?' The TARDIS asked innocently. '_Are you sure?_'

The Doctor reached the end of his rope. "Yes! Anything I said, and anything I meant! Anything but those robes!!" If The Doctor hadn't been so distraught, something he'd never admit to, he would have heard the TARDIS snicker.

'Alright, but remember you said anything!' She paused, more for effect than anything, 'Your new clothes are in your room. Now hurry and dress. They're waiting on you!'

More calm with the prospect of a different set of clothes, The Doctor returned to speaking with his ship telepathically, '_Knew you'd see reason!_' He crowed. Strutting back into his room, he asked, '_Who's waiting on me?_'

'_You'll see when you get there,_' the TARDIS replied firmly. Her flashing lights signaling that this particular conversation was over. The Doctor walked purposefully over to the bed and glanced down at his new clothes. Outraged, he picked up the clown outfit and screamed.

Yes, he was indeed happy that Rose hadn't seen him in that clown outfit. The rainbow wig, red nose and multi-colored, spotted jumpsuit with the fuzzy pom-poms was bad enough without having to have had to face her. The robes were bad, but that was worse!

He came back to the present to hear her giggle softly. Turning quickly, he rushed back to her side and grabbed her hand as he searched her face, settling on those glorious eyes he loved so much. He was so intent, that he didn't notice the changes to them, the additional gold flecks that had been added by the naming ceremony. His relief was so great, that it took him awhile to notice that she spoke.

'_Hello, Doctor,_' she said softly.

"Hello Rose," he answered aloud as he gathered her in his arms and hugged her tightly to his chest. She was right where she belonged!

Rose sighed as the Doctor gathered her in, she'd come home at last!


	12. Separation

Chapter 12 – Separation

The view from the cliffs on Gallifrey 219 was spectacular, though The Doctor didn't notice. Leaning back against the walls of his TARDIS, The Doctor sat in broken-hearted contemplation.

Looking back, he was ashamed that it took 2.81764827 seconds to realize that Rose Tyler was no longer human. Needless to say, he did not take that surprise very well; though why the issue of her being human was such a sticking point to him, he had no idea. He felt betrayed by her and Romana, but especially her. His Rose was human and now that she wasn't any longer, she wasn't _His Rose_. She was Time Lord, no, Time Lady and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't rise past that.

The TARDIS let out what she hoped was a comforting hum. Her bonded hadn't taken the news very well, though she knew he would come to realize and accept that this change was destined and very much needed. She hated that they needed to go through this period of separation after being apart for so long, but this was the only way it would come out right in the end.

* * *

The screaming between the two of them was heard throughout the whole Panopticon.

"How COULD you?" The Doctor screamed at Rose as he stood. "You just _throw_ your humanity away, willy-nilly, on some _whim_? You don't think about others, how others will react? How others will feel betrayed by this? _What _were you _thinking_? I'll tell you what you were thinking, you _WEREN'T_!" He threw his hands up in the air and began pacing, his long strides jilted and angry. "You're not Rose, that's it! _MY _Rose could not do this, she would _NEVER_ do this! _She _wouldn't throw _her_ humanity away, not for _anything_! She faced Daleks, Cybermen and _worse_ but **never, never ever** would she do this to me!"

He turned to face her at the last, eyes blazing an Oncoming Storm in full fury directing its full power at her. Struck still by the look of absolute fury and pain in his eyes, she couldn't move, not even to look away. "_**She**_ loves me and she would never, never betray me like this. What did you do? Did you steal some DNA from her and loom a perfect copy? Who _are _you? I demand by the rights of the Shadow Proclamation to know _who and __**what**__ you are_ and and you will tell me…_NOW!_" He ground out that last so violently that spittle rained across her upturned face.

Rose's temper flared. She had put up with this from Jimmy Stone at age 16 but swore after him that she would put up with being treated like this no longer. Standing straight and nose to nose with her accuser, Rose bit out her reply, each word dripping with hot, poison venom. "My _name _is Rose Marion Tyler, _former_ human, _current _Time Lady. Sister of Romanadvoratrelundar, house of Heartshaven, Prydonian Chapter, Lord High President of Gallifrey. **Daughter **of Jaqueline Tyler, _formerly_ of _this Universe_ and currently in the PARALLEL ONE! I am The Valient Child, The Bringer of the Oncoming Storm, The Defender of Earth, The Bad Wolf, ******I AM THE CHALICE and** **_YOU_** **DO NOT DICTATE TO _ME_!"**

The Doctor watched incredulously as with every word, Rose began to spark and grow golden, in comparison with the rising of her voice, until at the last she resembled the vengeful goddess that was Bad Wolf. Wind whipped her hair around her head while a small tornado whipped around them both as she screamed her last words to him before disappearing in a flash of bright light and clap of thunder. Anger deflated instantly with her disappearance and The Doctor slumped to his knees like a marionette whose strings had been severed. So lost in himself, The Doctor never heard the door slide open, nor Romana's footsteps as she crossed the marble floor to stand behind him.

"What have you done now Theta?"

He turned his head to look over his shoulder and found Romana standing there with her hands on her hips. She was upset, but he couldn't bring himself to care very much. Overall, he felt numb. Numb and exhausted. Numb, exhausted and broken. Unknowingly, his eyes reflected the depth of despair that coursed through him. It was the only thing that saved him. Romana, pulled him to his feet.

"Oh, Theta, How you have screwed up the best thing that has happened to you in your many years," Romana sighed out.

The Doctor ran.


	13. Interlude

The night was rife with sounds of night bugs, crickets and cicadas, as well as night birds. Chirps and calls resounded through the night though they were just a little off, a little too loud or too long, a little too sharp and a little too flat at the same time. They sounded in counterpoint to the gentle lapping of the waves of a great lake reaching the shore where the former human named Rose Tyler sat in quiet contemplation.

Sitting with her knees to her chest, Rose lost herself in the dreams of how she wanted the reunion between her and the Doctor to go, the dreams that did not come true. In reality, Rose had not gotten past the reunion that she was sure would go the way she wanted it to, sure that the Doctor would take her into his arms and back into his life, sweeping her off of her feet and across the threshold of the TARDIS.

'Reality was a different story,' she thought bitterly with a wry smile on her lips. Truthfully, she was so caught up in the dreams that she never thought it wouldn't go the way she wanted, but now she needed to come up with a new game plan; one that the Doctor didn't figure into. She sighed, 'time to become the new Rose Tyler,' she thought.

The problem with this was she didn't know where she belonged anymore. She was no longer human, a technicality that hadn't bothered her until now that he no longer accepted her, not to mention that she was on the list of the Canary Wharf dead. Clearly, returning to Earth and her life there was not an option. She had her own TARDIS, so she could tour the Universe if she wanted, however she didn't want to go it alone and the Doctor was sure to be out there as well, making that an option not too appealing. Staying here was also not an appealing option as she was sure that now that Time Lords were back in this universe and the Doctor was aware of it, he would be dropping by with great frequency. The only option that she was certain of, the only appealing option was avoiding the Doctor at all costs, since she wasn't his Rose any longer; and oh, how that hurt.

Angrily swiping tears from her cheeks, Rose Tyler began to stand and pace angrily. What would she have done back in the parallel universe? She would have got up, dusted herself off and got back to living. She could do no different in this universe. She had her doctorates, she had the Time Lord knowledge, she was a Time Lady, but most importantly, she was Rose Marion Tyler. She was the daughter of Jacqueline Tyler and Pete Tyler and quasi-sister of Tony Tyler, and she was no push-over.

"So what if the Doctor doesn't want me anymore," she bit out resolutely, "I know who and what I am, and what I am is not dependent upon anyone else but me." She turned around to head back towards the citadel and ran headlong into a red brick wall.

"Hello there Rose Tyler, I thought it was time I introduce myself. I am the Red Guardian."

She looked up at him and noticed right away how similar he was to the Doctor; kind but powerful, resolute and unwavering in his beliefs. She felt safe and secure in his presence, almost welcome. He was dressed in a red suit with a white shirt, bow-tie instead of regular tie and what looked to be red chucks on his feet. His white hair was bright as the snow on top of Everest on Earth and sparkled like the ice on Woman Wept. He was ageless, timeless, and he was glowing.

"Have we met before?" she asked him warily. She'd never felt this at-ease with anyone but the Doctor, even the first time she met him and he told her to run.

The Red Guardian chuckled softly, "You might say we have, though not in this capacity. At least this is the first meeting between you and I as I am now." With a wave of his arm he offered her a spot to sit on a log that appeared out of nowhere behind him. "I am here to speak with you about your current situation."

Rose moved to sit down and the guardian sat beside her. He picked up her hand from her lap and held it between his while he looked at her. Rose began to grow a little uncomfortable as the silence stretched between them. Just as she was about to ask the multitude of questions racing around in her head, he spoke. "Don't give up on your Doctor Rose, he's confused and scared and you've thrown him a curve ball."

She stiffened and withdrew her hand from in-between his. "I didn't give up on my Doctor, he gave up on me. I have never given up on my Doctor, I became Bad Wolf to save him, I went to the parallel world involuntarily, I changed in order to come back here to him. Not **once** did I give up on him or getting back to him. And the second we are reunited, he gives up on me!" She didn't realize she was screaming or crying until her voice broke, didn't realize that she had stood until her legs gave out from under her sending her to the sand below her feet, she wasn't aware of the tears falling on the cheeks of the God-like being who knelt in the sand beside her and drew her into his arms.

"Oh, Rose. Sweetheart, the Doctor was foolish. He never wanted you to change but he wished for a way to be with you forever, his forever. You coming back into his life is a precious gift, one that he dreamed of with both of his hearts. One he prayed to the universe for every second you were parted. He wanted you back so badly that he never thought of anything else, especially what it might take for you to come back to him in this universe." He sighed softly and ran his hand down her back before he continued.

"Now that you've come back, he had to face the reality of what it took to get you here, and it's not something that he wanted you to ever have to go through. He never wanted you to have to give up your humanity for him. He feels that he doesn't deserve what you've done for him, though he still loves you. You see Rose, the Doctor loves you. He loved you as a human being with all of your frailties and he loves you as a Time Lady who can be with him forever. He just doesn't realize it yet."

Rose sniffled. "I wasn't given a choice, not that I would have chosen differently if I had. I promised him forever and that's what I meant, no matter whose definition we use. If I had the power I would be with him until the end of Time itself. The only one who can make that determination is himself." She looked up at the Red Guardian. "I love him. I will always love him, I have always loved him. Nothing in this universe past, present or future will ever change that. But if he cannot accept me as I am now, I have to accept that and let him be; and I will. I have a great destiny that I have to fulfill and I will, with or without him by my side." She leaned over and kissed him quickly then stood up and turned to walk away. "Thank you Doctor."

The Red Guardian sat where he was kneeling in the sand. "You're welcome My Rose, you're welcome." Left alone in the darkness, the guardian looked up to the heavens and whispered, "What a fool I was," as he disappeared.


	14. Confusion Sets In

The TARDIS lights were dim and she was silent. The Time Lord sitting on the jump seat had been unmoving for hours, ever since he returned from watching the suns set on New Gallifrey. He was brooding, a new development of his personality since Rose was trapped years ago. Although used to it, the TARDIS was quickly losing her patience this time around. She decided that if he wasn't going to move himself then she'd just have to do it for him. Time was running out and unless they were bonded together, he and Rose, a more permanent separation was waiting to tear them apart. She sent her consciousness out into the vortex and found Jack. Latching onto him, she pulled him from the bed he'd found on Arkanika IV and materialized him into his room down the hall.

"What the hell?!" Jack screamed at her finding himself alone in the cold time ship.

"_Not now Jack. He needs your special brand of sense and you need to kick his arse into gear. Something BIG is coming and he has to be prepared to deal with it."_

Jack sat heavily on his single bed. "The least you could have done is let me get dressed before bringing me here. That was my favorite suit."

"_Check your wardrobe dear."_ The TARDIS replied cheekily. Jack could feel the happy grin that would have been on her face if she'd had a body. _"I needed to cool you off somehow."_

The Doctor had looked up at the change in the TARDIS' hum. He knew she was up to something and was equally sure that he didn't want to know. The last few days had played havoc with his system and his pride. He was sure that he wouldn't be able to fend off another attack on his person any time soon. Quickly deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, he stood from the jump seat and ran through the TARDIS' doors.

Finding himself back on the cliff over the Silver Orchard, the Doctor sat, dangling his legs over the edge. Oh, he knew he overreacted, he wasn't proud of that. It was just that he was surprised, shocked really, to see her there and to find out that she'd changed. She didn't need him anymore. She could travel the stars on her own now, visit any time she wanted to, she had her own TARDIS. She was his equal, had brought some of his people back from the parallel universe so he wouldn't be alone, and oh, was **that **a heartache.

She'd done all of this and more for him, expecting nothing back and that was **so** Rose. And he threw it back in her face. He didn't blame her for losing her temper, came from her mum it did, he did deserve it; her anger and so much more. If Jackie had been here, he most certainly would have felt her famous slap; he rubbed his cheek in remembrance. Moving his hand up over his eyes and into his hair, he sighed. He'd really messed up this time. This is why he never did domestic anymore; he was no good with relationships. Relationships required work and that dreaded compromise… and that to-be-avoided-at-all-costs, communication. He was over 900 years old, plenty old to be set in his ways and totally used to bachelor life, and here she was, a 25 year old Time Lady setting his bachelor world on its ear.

The question wasn't if he loved Rose Tyler, he did; irrevocably, insanely, unconditionally, wholeheartsedly. The question was what to do about it. And that's the question that he was too scared to answer. Oh, he knew what he wanted. What he'd dreamt of for years before he met her and what he'd hoped for since he first laid eyes on her and said that ridiculous word, 'run'. He didn't know the first thing about going after it, and that scared him silly.

He absently plucked at the hem of his robe sleeve while gazing down the orchard as his mind ran its hamster wheel. From his left, a flash of red moved within and among the saplings. He watched as Rose wove between the trees and sent the silver leaves to chiming, his eyes widened as he saw those saplings bend toward her and golden glowing tendrils reached out from her to them. He watched avidly as the trees grew exponentially within the golden field coming from his Rose, maturing in an instant from saplings into fully-grown trees. His hearts began to beat faster as his mind raced to find an answer that did not have Rose in mortal danger. It was at times like this that he wished he could see Rose's timeline, but it was as dark to him as his own had always been.

"She's not in danger, she's maturing them. That's what they want and need, so she's providing it." The Doctor's head whipped towards the speaker. He took in the red suit and chucks sitting beside him before stating flatly, "Red Guardian, how nice to see you again."

The Red Guardian chuckled softly, "No need to lie boy, I know you like seeing us as much as most humans look forward to a teeth pulling. I'm not here for an assignment; I just thought I should meet the newest member of the family." He nodded towards Rose down below, having felt the Doctor's confusion. "Nice choice boy. Nice choice indeed. When are you going to tell her?"

The Doctor choked and started coughing, the Red Guardian patted his back half helpfully and half gleefully trying to knock some sense into him. "What makes you think I haven't told her?" He asked after catching his breath.

"I just came from conversing with your lovely Lady. She's still rather upset with you, has written you off already in fact. She's decided to go her own way and do her own thing, though she doesn't know what that is just yet. If you don't want to live without her, you need to get a move on lad." The Red Guardian stood and brushed off the back of his suit pants. "Well, time to leave. I've got places to go and a special person to see. And you must do the same. Make sure you do it quickly, the Universe depends on it." He turned away from the Doctor and vanished.

The Doctor shook his head, partly in disbelief and partly to get over the shock of the Red Guardian's statement. He stood and brushed off the back of his suit pants, not noticing the exact same movements had been used by the Red Guardian moments earlier. He turned toward his TARDIS and opened the door, unknowingly being watched from below.

"What's up Doc?" Jack asked as the Doctor wandered into the kitchen the next morning. "Where's Rosie?"

"I don't know, on New Gallifrey still, I suppose." The Doctor answered absentmindedly. He moved to fill the kettle for his morning cuppa, bobbled and dropped it into the sink at Jack's shouted "**What?!**"

Spinning around, The Doctor took in Jack's appearance at his kitchen table. "Where'd you come from? I thought you were on Earth." He took in Jack's worn out appearance and added "You look tired, go back to bed."

Jack grinned, "Wanna come with?" He blushed at Jack's wink and smirk, turned quickly and answered with a definitive "No."

"Too bad. You look like you could use the sleep yourself Doc." Jack replied softly. "What happened? Rosie called all excited a few days ago. I would have thought that you'd be thrilled and she'd be ensconced in your room by now. How'd you mess this up?"

The Doctor sighed, poured the water into his waiting tea mug and sat down at the table. "I don't know. Rose has changed Jack. She's no longer my Rose, she's a Time Lady."

Jack sat forward, his expression went from concerned to serious. "How the heck did _**that**_ happen Doc? Are you sure it's Rose? I mean, _**really**_ sure?"

He looked up from the table and mug he'd been concentrating on. "I don't know how it happened Jack but there's a Time Lady on this planet that looks, acts and smells like Rose. She knows _**everything**_ that my Rose does, Jack; everything and more." He looked down at the table again. "There's more too. My people are back, back from the dead – if they ever were. We're on New Gallifrey, Gallifrey 219."

Jack's jaw dropped. "Whoa. That's a shock. How do you feel about that?"

"I don't know how I feel!" The Doctor shouted as he leapt up to pace the length of the kitchen. "I should be happy, I should be **ecstatic**, dancing in the halls even! But here I am, confused. _**How**_ did this happen? We were told that there were no other Time Lords in the multiverse. We were _**supposed**_ to be the only ones, and I was supposed to have killed them all! I was supposed to be the **last**. The Last Timelord, the end of a species of stuck-up snobs observing and recording the Universe, but I'm _**not**_. I'm _**not**_ the Last Timelord; I'm not even the 300th Last Timelord. They're all still alive Jack. _**All of them**_!" He slumped to the floor.

"They're all alive and they didn't tell me. They left me to grieve, believing I was all alone and the last. And Rose brought them back, back to me. Why did she do that, Jack?" He whispered.

Jack knelt down next to his friend. "I am sure that she thought she'd be helping you Doc. She knew what you went through, what she thought you'd want if you could have it. You grieved for Gallifrey for so long and she wanted to give you some relief from that I'm sure. She saw an opportunity and took it. You said it yourself, she promised you forever. Is it possible that this is her version of what forever means?" He patted the Doctor's knee as he stood up. _'Time for the parting shot…'_ he thought.

"You could always just ask her."


	15. Confrontations

_'Ask her? Just ask her… What a fat lot of help Jack, thanks ever so.'_ The Doctor paced agitatedly. _'Ask her. Hah! I can't just go up and ask her, not after the fight earlier.'_

He stopped and clenched his fists. _'No. No way. I'm not asking her. If she wants me, if she wants to uphold her promise, she'll come to me.'_ He nodded decidedly.

"Yes, _she_ promised _me_ forever. If she was truthful, she'll come to me. Yes. Yes. It's all up to her. All I have to do is wait. She'll contact me when _she_ sees the light and I'll have my companion, my 'plus one' again." Resolved, The Doctor turned and tried to enter his TARDIS. No luck.

He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and set it to setting 3618, open TARDIS doors, buzzed it at the blue door and tried the door again. No luck. He lightly kicked the stubborn blue door, muttering under his breath dire threats of permanent blue door removal, tried the door again and still no luck. He tried knocking, hitting, pounding and kicking – no answer and no opening…

He pulled out the Never Fail Option, the TARDIS yale key. He pushed it in the lock and received an electrical shock that knocked him back ten paces and flat on his bum.

When his head stopped its reel and wobble routine, he stood up, brushed himself off and began to curse the air around his ship TARDIS blue. At the end of his diatribe, as he stood there panting, catching his breath, he received an electronic TARDIS raspberry. The last straw…

"What?!" He threw his hands up in the air, waving them as he shouted. "What could _possibly_ have upset you **this** time?! It's definitely not _my_ fault! Are you too hot? Are you too cold? _**What?!**_ Do you have an opinion you'd like to share with me? If so, **speak up!** I cannot hear you if you're silent! And you _**shocked**_ me! For what? If you would have just opened the door, I wouldn't have had to try everything else! And where is _**JACK?!**_" He screamed the last as he spun away from the TARDIS, tunneling his hands through his hair in total frustration only to stop short at the sight of Rose standing calmly and silently in front of him. "Oh."

He dropped his hands, digging them deep into his pockets and began rocking back and forth nonchalantly. "So…" he began slowly. "How long've you been there then?"

* * *

"Long enough," Rose replied coldly. She folded her arms and raised her eyebrow, clearly waiting for him to speak.

"Ah…" He reached up to rub the back of his neck. "Listen… Rose… Rosie… Rose, Rose, My Rose…" He drifted off at her pointed look. "Right. Point. Okay," he sighed.

He tried again, "Look, I'm shocked." He stopped, "Shocked?" He muttered, "No, I'm sorry. Yes, sorry. That's it. I'm sorry." He looked at Rose with a puppy-like expression.

"You're… sorry." Rose repeated, watching the Doctor nod slowly. "Okay." She stopped at his look of abject relief. "I agree. You are definitely sorry. But what are you sorry for Doctor?"

He paled. "Um… Sorry for upsetting you?"

"Is that a question or a statement?" Rose parried. _'Ball is in your court Doctor'_

"A statement? Definitely a statement." He replied a bit more confidently.

"I see," said Rose, her foot beginning to tap the ground lightly. "And how," she said slowly, as if speaking to her baby brother Tony, "did you upset me?"

"I…" the Doctor began. His palms began to seat, literally seat. So not something Time Lords did, calm under pressure them.

"Um…" His legs began to shake; again with the new territory.

"Uh…" He swore he could feel perspiration trickle down his brow; totally uncharted waters for Time Lords.

He shrugged, "Don't know?" '_Oh great, now my brain has shut down, this only happens to lower life forms.'_

'_Help!'_ he sent a mental plea to his TARDIS, again receiving a raspberry. He began to panic. '_Romana, Fred, help! Please!'_ He pleaded his friend, his only remaining ally, his bosom companion.

'_Theta, what have you done now?' _Sweet, sweet relief washed over him. The cavalry had arrived! He was saved!

The Doctor quickly sent the entire conversation to Romana, hoping against all odds for her help in digging out of the sudden deep, dark hole he found himself at the bottom of.

'_Oh Theta,' _she sighed. _'You're on your own.' _For some reason, he heard a lone bugler playing what the American military called "Taps".

* * *

Rose sighed, '_Coward. I gave him a second chance, again. And as per usual, he's blowing it.'_ The TARDIS agreed.

'_Rose, he really is miserable. I don't know what has gotten into my bonded, I really don't. He just won't admit it to himself let alone anyone else. It's like he's locked everything down so tightly and is not sharing anything with anyone, even me and we're joined at the mind. If I could, I would definitely help you out here.' _She sent Rose a mental hug and she smiled gratefully at the beloved time ship.

Rose looked at the Doctor, frozen there in front of his TARDIS and felt a tearing in her chest for the second time in twenty-four hours. Feeling the tears well up, she turned away and began walking back down to the forest below. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"Goodbye Doctor," she whispered sadly.

* * *

The TARDIS door remained shut; Jack sitting on the jump seat watched everything on the viewscreen.

"No! No, no, no! Nonononono! Don't let her go! No, Doc, go after her! Doc, you _**idiot**_!" He jumped up from his seat to grab the view screen, screaming at the top of his power. "You _**moron**_! Snap out of it and **go after her**!" His shouts rang out through the console room like the cloister bells heralding doom.

Jack turned and pleaded, "**Shock him! **Shock him again! Wake him up, give him a heart attack! Something! Anything, just do it! Hurry!"

'_Jack, stop shouting. I can't. I can't get through to him, he's shut everything out. Even me.' _The TARDIS whispered sadly.

"But he's gonna lose her! He'll-" his voice broke on a sob that he choked back. "He'll lose her forever this time. She won't come back after this!" He said frantically, clenching his fists.

'_I know.' _ The TARDIS whispered sadly. _'It's his last chance she'll give him. It will all be up to him now.'_

"I'll go after her, I'll stop her! Make her see reason! I'll talk to her." He ran to the doors, but they remained shut. "Let me out! I have to stop her! I've got to do something!" Jack pleaded.

'_Jack, it's too late. She's too broken to listen and she won't stay. He's shattered both hearts this time. If Rose is holding on to any hope it's buried too far down now. She must be left alone to make her own way.'_

Jack watched Rose disappear back down the trail, tears carving rivers down his cheeks. The Doctor just stood there, hands hanging limply at his sides, not seeing the love of his life leave him for the last time.


	16. Darkness Not Harkness

"The stars are going out…" Jackie whispered to Rose. "Pete's been trying to figure it out, with no luck. Even your friends out there don't know what's causing it."

Rose stared through the space between her mum and her. "How long has this been going on?" She turned to the view of the mansion behind them.

Jackie sighed, "A few months now it's been noticeable. Apparently it started about the time you left here actually… So about nine months now?" She glanced at her daughter. "You don't think your change had anything to do with it do you?"

Rose turned back to face her mum. "No, it wasn't my change that caused this. I know that much at least. About the time it became noticeable to you I started having weird dreams. Everything was just gone, there was nothing. Nothing at all. It reminded me of that movie from my childhood, ya know? That Neverending Story one? Where the nothing grows bigger and eats that universe? We're all in danger mum. Not just here but everywhere, everything. But I can't find the source."

Jackie reached over and grasped her daughter firmly by her shoulders. "Don't go looking fro trouble sweetheart. You and that alien got in enough to trouble to last several lifetimes before this.

Rose smiled. "I'm an alien too now mum, remember?" She failed to specify that it had been at least fifty years since her leaving visit. Time she'd spent setting up Gallifrey 219, New Gallifrey; building a government and civilization. It had been a long, hard and lonely half century, especially since the Doctor had not returned, preferring to stay at least half a universe away from her and the new Time Lords. She wasn't bitter, really. It just hurt that he could so easily dismiss her and what was right in front of his abnormally large nose.

"Of course I remember. I'm an alien's mum, you noob! Hard to forget that is." Jackie said exasperatedly. "So, how long can you stay for?" She said trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. It didn't escape her notice that Rose had returned alone. "Tony and Pete have missed you almost as much as me. And I know Mickey and Jake'll want to see you too." She wrapped her daughter's arm around hers and led her away from Rose's time ship. Chattering on, catching Rose up on the latest gossip and happenings at Torchwood and home.

During a short pause, Rose answered. "I don't know mum. At least a couple of days I hope. I've missed everyone here too. It all depends on everything staying quiet." She sighed. Truthfully she was tired of quiet; she was restless and ready to run. Politics was a nightmare she'd escaped from the second the window had cracked open. She'd rescheduled everything that could, delegated everything that couldn't and ran; spinning through space and over universal bridges to reach the only one who could understand the pain of her loss, even though she'd no intention of ever telling her mum any of that. Just being here was soothing the ache in her hearts. '_No wonder he had run so fast and hard away from me, if he was hurting half as badly.'_

The door to the kitchen closed behind the two women as they left the garden, leaving Rose's TARDIS as sentinel against the encroaching darkness.

* * *

His hearts were bleeding again. Well, not again, more… worse. Yes, worse. More? No, worse. Definitely worse. He'd allowed himself to dream again, to hope again, only to end up alone again.

'_But you're not alone my bonded.' _His TARDIS whispered. _'They're there waiting for you. Why not visit? Why not take some time with Romana at least?'_

He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. _'No. That's not Gallifrey, and I can't go there until Rose is gone. It hurts too much to see her.'_

'_And whose fault is that I ask you? Yours, you stubborn fool!' _Privately, the Doctor agreed. _'It may not be Gallifrey, but they are your people! Our people! You are not alone anymore Theta. I am not alone! I mourned Gallifrey just as much, just as hard as you have and are, but there's a second chance for Time Lords to get it right this time. If only you would help them! Romana sees, but she cannot change millions of years of teaching, tradition and thinking by herself. And Rose! Yes, Rose is there, but she's young and was human. She doesn't understand the culture she's been thrust into. How can she affect the changes needed without your guiding hand?' _Point TARDIS.

'_Why not help them and help yourself at the same time? Why not help me? You know you're not able to replace certain parts that are wearing out… You could get these on New Gallifrey…' _she cajoled, turning the lights to a warm pink. _'I could change the desktop theme again. Maybe get some more plants for the garden?'_

He looked up at the console. "I like this desktop theme, thank you very much." He sighed again, giving in to his bonded yet again. He really had no chance. _'I will go back, just not now dear one.' _He pleaded. _'I'm not ready and too hearts sore to face anyone right now. Donna and Martha are sleeping; I think I'll try to sleep a bit too.'_ He stood up, patting the view screen rather fondly as he passed. _'All I need is you and a bit more time.'_

The TARDIS darkened the control room as he passed through the arch. _'Oh Theta, time is the one thing you are rapidly running out of, I'm afraid.'_

* * *

She was sitting on the side of his bed. Dressed in her normal attire of jeans and hoodie but she looked older somehow. Oh, not physically. Physically she was no older than the last time he'd dreamed of her and really, he thought, why should she be? It was only a few months ago. Her eyes were older and held more sadness he noted. _'I wonder why?'_

"Well isn't this interesting," she mused. "I never pictured your room looking like this." She glanced around, taking in all of the furniture; the desk piled with books and bits and bobs of machinery, the chest of drawers with detritus of his former selves, the nightstand with the flotsam from his pockets, and his lake-sized bed with the blood red satin and silk coverings. It was a glimpse into the true man, the man he was deep down, through all of the face and personality changes. His core self.

He felt exposed. "Glad I could peak your interest… Why are you here?" He tried to change the subject. "Wait, no, never mind. You're not really here, I'm dreaming again. I should have known better really, I mean sleeping so soon after things like that. Losing Gallifrey was bad, losing Jenny was worse. I should have learned my lesson after losing so much, after losing you. Sleep only leads to hallucinations."

"Hallucination am I?" Rose laughed. "Okay Doctor, whatever helps you sleep at night." She winked, then became serious. "Have you slept lately?"

The Doctor looked puzzled. "Well, every now and again, I suppose, yes. Why do you ask?"

Rose turned to face him fully, bringing her leg up to rest on the bed in front of her. "Have you dreamed?"

"Rose, I'm dreaming now," He replied flatly.

"No Doctor, I mean dreamed, like Time Lord Dreams. Dreams of the universe, of the present and future, of the web. Have you dreamed of the web?"

"I've always dreamed of the web Rose. Always. But Time Lords don't normally dream of the web, they only access the timelines consciously when something feels wrong." He peered at her, brow furrowed. "Do you dream of the web? You shouldn't be."

Rose ignored the question, choosing instead to ask her own. "Have you dreamed of the web lately Doctor? Have you dreamed of it or have you dreamed of the darkness?"

The Doctor laughed. "I do not dream of Jack Rose, I dream of you. Always and only you."

Rose blushed, a pleased smile passing over her lips before she smacked his leg. "Not Harkenss, Doctor, darkness. Of nothing but black and empty space."

The Doctor looked at her confusedly. "No Rose, I have not dreamed of darkness. The last time I dreamed, it was of you. I haven't dreamed of the web since I lost you." He stopped in thought, "unusual that." He mused. Turning his thoughts inward, he searched for his connection. It was there, faint but there and something was blocking him from viewing it. Startled, the Doctor's head shot up and he looked at Rose. "I'm blind. I can't see it! Why can't I see it?" He grabbed Rose's arms. "Answer me!"

Rose grasped the Doctor's arms back, so they were wrist to wrist. "I don't know Doctor. But I'll figure it out. Just keep doing what you've been and I'll let you know when I have an answer."

He nodded, let go and lay back down against his pillows. "I wish you were really here Rose. I have so much to tell you."

"Like what?" She asked. "I'm here now, you can talk to me."

The Doctor closed his eyes, speaking softly. "It's nothing you don't already know being a hallucination from my grieving brain, but I've not hid anything in these dreams before… The Time Lords are back in this universe. They've established a New Gallifrey."

"Well, that must be exciting," Rose stated blandly.

"Exciting isn't the word for it Rose. Shocking, yes. Unnerving, definitely. Unwelcome, maybe. But exciting? No. Oh, seeing my old friend Romana was nice, shocking but nice. See what you've done to yourself though was most unwelcome."

"What I've done to myself?" Asked Rose softly back. "What have I done to myself?"

"Oh Rose, you changed." He sighed. "You're a Time Lady now."

"And that's a bad thing? I would think that it'd be a good thing."

"No." He stated emphatically. "You were _human_ Rose. What you were _born_ to be, what you should be. What you would have been without my interference, Human, the best species in the universe. They had no right to change you!" He pounded the bed with his fists. "You could have been left alone; they could have brought you back to me as a human. There was no need to make you a Time Lady, to saddle you with the Time Lord curse. I never wanted you to be burdened the way I am."

"But Doctor, you're not burdened by a curse. Is helping people really such a terrible thing? Is being a Time Lord or a Time Lady such a horrible thing?" She paused a bit, hoping for an answer that didn't come. "Is me being a Time Lady really so terrible a thing?"

The words came out so softly that if he hadn't had excellent hearing, he would have missed them. He sighed. "Oh Rose, it wouldn't be terrible for _me._ But the most wondrous, the most brilliant, the most fantastic thing in my very, very long life. Don't you see? That's why it was so terrible! It was the one thing, _the only thing_ I wanted more than having my people alive; having you back. I wouldn't care if you were a Cat Nun as long as you were here with me, My Rose. But I never wanted this for you. I never wanted you to suffer as I have, living for millennia, watching your loved ones die before you. Being responsible for the fate of the universe. That I never wanted for you. I wanted you to keep your freedom, to not be chained as I am. Destined to be alone. I wanted you to have everything you ever wanted, as you are everything that I ever wanted."

Rose smiled through her tears. "I very happy to hear that My Doctor. So very happy to hear that."

That was the last thing he heard before he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The TARDIS was quiet as Rose wandered toward the console room, gently dragging her fingertips along the coral walled pathway. A soft pink-orange glow lit the way to where the heart waited. Patiently, silently.

_'Hello Sister bonded.'_

_ 'Hello dear one. Has he been treating you well?'_

_ 'Rose, it's only been a few months for us since we left Gallifrey. Somehow you have contacted us back in your past, which is unsettling frankly.'_

_ 'Why would it be unsettling? I've gone to the past in the parallel universe so isn't it logical – oh.'_ She broke off as her training lessons kicked in. _'Time might be wibbly-wobbly but it's always liner to Time Lords. Especially in dream states.'_

_ 'Correct. Now, I have asked you in here for a couple of reasons. One, I missed you terribly.'_

_ 'I have missed you too. I have thought about you both every day since we parted, hoping that you'd been taking care of each other.'_

_ 'Oh Rose. We are taking care of each other and Donna's helping too. She's gotten him to open up again, the cause of the brick wall you ran into on New Gallifrey. It's come down; he's ready for you again. Really ready this time. Please tell me that you're ready to come back. We have missed you so.'_

_ 'I have some things to do over here. But once I'm finished I'll find you and we'll see how the meeting goes. If he's not gotten his head out his bum, I'll strand him on a deserted planet 'til he regenerates. How's that?'_

_ 'I suppose I will have to be content with that. For now.' _The TARDIS chuckled lightly._ 'Theta won't know what hit him.'_

_ 'So what's the second reason?'_

_ 'The darkness.'_

Rose gasped. _'Are you blocking him from seeing the web?' _The TARDIS replied in the negative. _'Go on dear one. Do you have an answer to what's causing it?'_

_ 'Something big, bad and ugly.'_

Rose laughed. _'Well, that's informative. Can you be any clearer?'_

_'The Daleks.'_

Rose paled herself. Great, Daleks. _'Oh. Well, that's clear enough I suppose.'_

_'Rose, bonded, we need a plan.'_


End file.
